SHELL AND DICK JOHNSON CELEBRATE 50TH ANNIVERSARY AT SANDOWN
Shell and Dick Johnson celebrate 50 year association – Photo: Supplied
Shell V-Power Racing Team will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the relationship between Shell and Dick Johnson with a special livery for the Sandown 500 ‘Retro Round’.
Shell’s support of Johnson began in 1967, making it the longest corporate partnership in Australian Motorsport, and one of the longest in any Australian sport.
Johnson and wife Jill also owned a Shell service station in the Brisbane suburb of Wooloongabba until the mid-1980s.
With major sponsorship from Shell, Dick Johnson Racing went on to major success throughout the 1980s and 1990s, in a period that included multiple Bathurst 1000 and Sandown 500 victories, and championships.
Shell V-Power Racing Team have incorporated the 1967 version of the Shell pecten – Photo: Supplied
For the upcoming Sandown 500, Shell V-Power Racing Team have incorporated the 1967 version of the famous Shell pecten into the livery of the No.12 and No.17 Ford Falcons.
Scott Wyatt, CEO of Shell’s exclusive Australian licensee, said that Shell’s long-term partnership with Dick Johnson is a source of immense pride for the company.
“Our naming rights partnership with the team is one that we’re very passionate about, and is particularly exciting given the results for the team so far this year,” said Wyatt.
“We are extremely proud of the relationship Shell has with Dick Johnson, which has developed over 50 years into a partnership that is iconic in Australian sport.
“To be able to celebrate that partnership in conjunction with the team this year is very special, and we hope that we will see many more years of success in association with this great team.”
Shell V-Power Racing Team’s Sandown 500 retro livery – Photo: Supplied
Shell V-Power Racing Team co-owner Dick Johnson said that the support of Shell has been integral to his longevity in the sport.
“Shell has always been there for me, through good times and bad. Even when I raced on-track with competitor branding in the early 1980s, I continued to own the Shell service station. Having them return in a big way this year feels very much like rewinding to the good old days,” said Johnson.
“I’m extremely proud of the duration of our relationship, and even prouder that we’re repaying Shell’s support with great on-track results.”
The Sandown 500 kicks off the Pirtek Enduro Cup next weekend.
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