Three truck makers have confirmed sponsorship roles with the local racing tournament
The trucking industry is getting behind its racing counterpart in Australia, with Hino, Freightliner, and Iveco all announcing sponsorship deals.
Japanese truck maker Hino has signed with the V8 Supercars Championship as the official light and medium duty truck and bus sponsor over the next three seasons.
Under the deal, the ‘Hino Hub’ will provide race information and updates through the Network Ten and Foxtel broadcasts of the championship and participate in a range of event activities, such as safety car rides and pre-race grid-walk programs.
“V8 Supercars has been used effectively by truck companies for brand exposure, but we see it as having even greater relevance as a means of bringing direct benefit to our customers,” Hino motor sales Australia chairman and CEO Steve Lotter says.
Hino says it will use the time to further push its Hino Advantage program, launched last year.
Freightliner
For Freightliner, the racing news stems from its new 2016 race transporter.
The new Argosy B-double’s exterior has been developed in line with the number 14 race car to be driven by Tim Slade in the upcoming V8 Supercars Championship.
According to Freightliner the detailing is a series of giant vinyl wrap panels that cover the truck and trailer.
Inside the trailer will sit the Slade’s Freightliner Racing car and Jason Bright’s Team BOC car, as well as a full range of spares, tools and other items.
“We carry everything that we need to run the race team, which doesn’t just mean all the parts and tools for the car, but things like the floors walls for the pit garage and all the catering equipment,” truck driver Paul ‘Stax’ Eddy says.
The same Eddy who contributed to the Burrumbuttock Hay Runners convoy in January.
Eddy’s truck is a 2014 Argosy 110 Mid Roof model with a 51-inch sleeper bunk; Detroit DD15 15-litre turbo diesel engine, packing 560hp; and an Eaton RoadRanger 18-speed non-synchro manual.
Iveco
Iveco has also upped its participation in the V8 Supercars Championship with a new TeamVortex partnership.
Already a race transporter for Red Bull Racing Australia, Iveco’s new deal with Craig Lowndes and his team is in response to the success it has seen in previous years, Iveco Trucks Australia marketing manager Darren Swenson says.
“Having worked closely with Red Bull Racing Australia last year as the official race transporter, the Iveco brand enjoyed a lot of exposure in an important demographic,” Swenson says.
“While our two top-of-the-range Iveco Stralis AS-L prime movers will continue their duties as transporters, we were keen to further increase our relationship, hence the involvement with Craig and TeamVortex.
“Craig is not only a great driver but an outstanding role model and all-round ‘top bloke’ – in terms of representing the Iveco brand, you couldn’t ask for a better person.”
The Stralis models used to haul the race cars are assembled at Iveco’s Melbourne facility from 55 per cent locally-sourced components, the company says.