On the eve of the 2022 Repco Bathurst 1000, Repco and leading Supercars team Shell V-Power Racing have celebrated their histories in pit lane at Mount Panorama, making two significant announcements.
To honour Repco’s 100th year in the automotive parts business, Shell V-Power Racing’s Ford Mustang of Anton De Pasquale and Tony D’Alberto will change its traditional entry from the #11 to #100.
Supercars’ teams will often change their car numbers to celebrate various milestones, but rarely does this occur for The Great Race at Mount Panorama.
Shell V-Power Racing are also celebrating its own milestone this weekend, marking its 1000th race in the Supercars Championship.
To coincide with the number change for the 1000km touring car endurance race, Repco is pleased to confirm it has extended its already five-year strong partnership agreement with Shell V-Power Racing.
The new deal will add at least another two-years onto its partnership that began back in 2018.
In that time alone, the Shell V-Power Racing Team has scored three Repco Supercars Championship crowns and the 2019 Bathurst 1000 with Scott McLaughlin and Alex Premat.
At this year’s Repco Bathurst 1000, Shell V-Power Racing and its formation team name, Dick Johnson Racing, celebrates 1000 Australian Touring Car/Supercars Championship races. The team has taken 147 race wins, 308 podiums, 143 pole positions, 10 Drivers’ Championships, three teams’ Championships and four wins in the Bathurst 1000.
To celebrate the feat – the first team to achieve 1000 races – the Shell V-Power Racing Team cars will don a familiar look from the late 1990s.
Repco has gone over and above to join in the retro-spirit of the livery, allowing the team to use the period-correct logo that Repco used during the 1990s. That logo can be seen on the Mustang’s rear three-quarter panel.
Shell V-Power Racing Team’s modern Mustang, plus an array of famous Repco-powered cars joined the Mustang at Mount Panorama this morning, including the history-making Repco Brabham BT19 – the car that took Sir Jack Brabham to the last of his three Formula 1 World Championships. Powered by Repco, Brabham won the 1966 F1 title as the first and only man to win the championship with a car bearing his own name.
Also on show at the famous Pit Straight was the blue Matich-Repco SR4, famous for dominating the inaugural Australian Sportcar Championship in 1969, as well as the Holden Dealer Team Torana Sports Sedan, famously driven by the likes of Bathurst legend Peter Brock, Colin Bond and Ron Harrop.
All of these historic cars will be on display at the National Motor Racing Museum at Mount Panorama this weekend, as well as a special parade lap on Sunday morning of The Great Race. The museum is located on the outside of Murray’s Corner at Mount Panorama.
The Repco Bathurst 1000 officially kicks off on Thursday with practice. Friday will feature qualifying, while Saturday afternoon will see the famous Top 10 Shootout for the coveted Bathurst 1000 pole position. But it all comes down to Sunday’s Great Race, the Repco Bathurst 1000, where another chapter of Mount Panorama history will be written.
QUOTES
Wayne Bryant
CEO, Repco
“This is Repco’s 100th year in business, so it is a very significant time for Repco in Australia and New Zealand,” said Bryant.
“It is an incredibly selfless gesture from Ryan Story, Dick Johnson and the entire team at Shell V-Power Racing to change the number of Anton and Tony’s car for the Repco Bathurst 1000.
“For Repco and all our fantastic crew, this signifies why we value our partnership with the team and why we have extended our partnership with them. They are a team with family values that strive for excellence everyday. These are mirroring qualities to ours at Repco.”
Dr. Ryan Story AM
Executive Chairman, Shell V-Power Racing
“The Shell V-Power Racing Team has a wonderful partnership in racing and in business with Repco, so what better way to celebrate 100 years of Repco than by running the number 100 on Anton and Tony’s Ford Mustang at the Repco Bathurst 1000,” said Story.
“We are also delighted to announce a multi-year partnership extension with Repco, the leader in the automotive aftermarket sector.”
Anton De Pasquale
Driver, #100 Shell V-Power Racing Team Ford Mustang
“It’s great to unveil Car #100 here at Mount Panorama ahead of this weekend’s Repco Bathurst 1000. To be able to celebrate Repco and their 100th year at their event is awesome and I can’t wait to pilot #100 with Tony this weekend,” said De Pasquale.
“It is also great to announce Repco’s two-year partnership extension with the Shell V-Power Racing Team.”