Sponsorship makes the world go round in motorsport and some companies don’t mind spreading the love across multiple teams through title support.
The Repco Supercars Championship plays host to a lot of long-time partnerships led by Dick Johnson Racing’s long-time association with Shell, but some brands have taken on title sponsorship across multiple teams.
Here are a few examples of this ‘brand-sharing’ as follows and if you have anymore, hit up the Repco socials.
One offs such as Bathurst have not been included.
Gibson Motorsport/00 Motorsport and Ford Tickford Racing (Ford) – 2001-2002
Craig Lowndes’ defection from the Holden Racing Team to Ford is arguably the biggest move of any silly season, but was especially a shock at the time ahead of the 2001 season.
Not only was Lowndes a defector, but the Gibson Motorsport squad he was joining also made the switch from Holden.
Opening the season with a striking grey and black livery penned by Ford designer Nick Hogios, the latter introduction of green headlights made the Gibson Motorsport Ford AU Falcon Supercar iconic.
Lowndes joined Ford-backed Glenn Seton Racing to uphold the Blue Oval honour as part of a three-pronged factory attack.
Loyal Ford contender Glenn Seton received increased manufacturer support in 1999 leading to the rebranding of his team to Ford Tickford Racing.
Seton was joined by ex-Gibson Motorsport driver Steven Richards for the 2001 season, with the increased Ford attack continuing into 2002.
A factory effort coined Ford Performance Racing backed by international powerhouse Prodrive bought Glenn Seton Racing combining Seton and Lowndes together.
Briggs Motorsport/Triple Eight Race Engineering and Paul Weel Racing (Betta Electrical) – 2003
Before Betta Electrical tasted Bathurst success with Triple Eight Race Engineering in 2006, it enjoyed a reasonable history in the sport including sponsoring two teams in 2003.
After previously sponsoring privateer John Faulkner during the 1990s, Betta Electrical made a return to the sport as part of a big announcement made at the 2001 Bathurst 1000 confirming four entries for 2002.
Briggs Motorsport already fielded the CAT Racing Ford AU Falcon for Bowe, who was soon to depart the team.
Endurance co-driver Simon Wills replaced Bowe for the remaining rounds, plus the start of the 2002 season when he was joined by Max Wilson and veteran Tony Longhurst in a pair of Betta Electrical Falcons leaving the proposed fourth entry aborted.
CAT transferred its support to Ford Performance Racing in 2003 leaving just the pair of Betta Electrical BA Falcons for Dean Canto and Paul Radisich.
It proved a disappointing season for the team as John Briggs ended up selling the team to British-based team Triple Eight Race Engineering and thus history was made.
But in 2003, Betta Electrical also supported a Holden team in the form of the newly rebranded Paul Weel Racing now under the Team Brock moniker.
Forming a six-strong Walkinshaw-supported team alongside the Holden Racing Team and Kmart Racing, PWR expanded to include Jason Bright to join Paul Weel as it switched brands.
Bright relished in the role as team leader after playing second fiddle to Mark Skaife at HRT and was a title contender for much of the season.
The support of four entries only lasted a season as Briggs had previously signed a five-year naming rights deal with Betta Electrical ensuring PWR lost its major partner in addition to its Team Brock moniker for 2004.
Dick Johnson Racing and Brad Jones Racing (Wilson Security) – 2013
Following the departure of title sponsor Jim Beam and of team co-owner Charlie Schwerkolt in an awkward split, Dick Johnson Racing was in turmoil heading into the 2013 season.
Having downsized to two entries for the season, DJR revealed Wilson Security as its title sponsor for 2013 fielding a pair of new COTF Ford FG Falcons for Tim Blanchard and Jonny Reid, who was later replaced by Chaz Mostert.
Wilson Security was previous long-time supporter of David Wall as he progressed from GT racing to Super2 and made his Supercars debut in 2012 at Brad Jones Racing.
Wilson Security continued the association with Wall for 2013 making it three entries supported by the company during the season.
It didn’t last as a year later Wall moved to DJR as Wilson Security also linking up with Garry Rogers Motorsport and its Volvo program also.
Perkins Engineering and Longhurst Racing (Castrol) – 1995-1999
Perhaps the best known example of ‘brand-sharing’ is from Castrol when it expanded on its partnership with Larry Perkins to include Ford driver Tony Longhurst during the latter half of the 1990s.
Larry Perkins is synonymous with Castrol sponsorship, but it wasn’t until 1993 when the oil giant took on title sponsorship resulting in a Bathurst victory in October.
The 1995 Australian Touring Car Championship began Castrol’s expansion when Longhurst’s new single-entry Ford Falcon ran the famous green, black and white scheme.
Longhurst was left to run his own show following Paul Morris and Frank Gardner’s transition to Super Touring full-time as the factory BMW squad.
It was strange to have a Commodore and Falcon sporting a remarkably similar Castrol livery at two different teams, but it continued into 1996.
Perkins Engineering expanded to two Commodores after winning Bathurst again in 1995 as Perkins was joined by his winning co-driver Russell Ingall in an expanded double attack.
In fact, Longhurst’s association with Castrol lasted until his team’s demise in 1999, while Perkins Engineering’s partnership ended in 2005.
Bob Jane T-Marts (various) – Mid-1980s
Tyre store magnate and former racer Bob Jane heavily invested in Australian motorsport during the mid-1980s via his own Calder Park facility highlighted by an extension and the Thunderdome, but also played a key role in supporting touring car racing.
During the Group A era, it was Jane bringing out international drivers for Bathurst including the second-placed Roberto Ravaglia and Johnny Cecotto BMW 635csi, while the next year it was the pair of ex-RSM Marko Mercedes-Benz 190Es.
Jane also supported the likes of Roadways duo Allan Grice and Graeme Crosby, Garry Rogers among others.