NAPA AUTO PARTS BACK WAU WILDCARD

NAPA Auto Parts back WAU wildcard – Photo: LAT

Walkinshaw Andretti United’s IndyCar flavoured Bathurst 1000 wildcard entry will have even stronger ties with the US with the announcement that NAPA Auto Parts will be the naming rights partner.

The No. 27 Holden Commodore, to be driven by Alexander Rossi and James Hinchcliffe, will be entered under the NAPA Auto Parts Racing banner.

“With such an iconic connection to Andretti Autosport and Alexander Rossi, it’s fantastic to have NAPA Auto Parts join us for the Bathurst 1000, especially after being able to witness first hand the passion for the brand in the United States this year.” said Mathew Nilsson, co-Team Principle.

“NAPA Auto Parts may be relatively fresh to the Australian market, but their history over the last 90-years through brands such as Ashdown-Ingram, Appco, Autostop, Covs, Global Auto Parts, R&E, and Sulco, shows how ingrained they are. We’re excited to watch them grow to new heights.”

“Alexander and NAPA Auto Parts have shared some amazing achievements together in the NTT IndyCar Series, and we’re really excited about the opportunity to add to that in Australia, at Bathurst, alongside James Hinchcliffe.”

“I’m sure the public are going to love the look of the car, and we cannot wait to show it to everyone in the coming weeks.”

NAPA Auto Parts will join previously announced partners Virgin Australia, WheresMyConcrete and Polaris Materials’ Orca High Performance Concrete Aggregates.

The car will don the NAPA blue and yellow, as well as Virgin Australia’s red and purple, in a livery revealed to the public in the coming weeks, supported by Ryco, NARVA, Bendix, Prostream, CRC, Monroe and Gates.

GPC Asia Pacific is part of the largest automotive parts companies in the world, Genuine Parts Company, and have recently launched the iconic NAPA Auto Parts brand down under, by the combining of a number of separate businesses in Appco, Ashdown-Ingram, Autostop, Covs, Global Auto Parts, R&E, and Sulco, to form NAPA Auto Parts.

These combined businesses boast a proud heritage across Australia and New Zealand servicing customers for over the past 90 years, across a national network, delivering trade, industrial and mining solutions, supported by industry knowledge and leading brands.

Both Alexander Rossi and James Hinchcliffe will first get behind the wheel of the No. 27 NAPA Auto Parts Racing Holden Commodore at a three-day test at Winton Raceway on October 1-3.

Following that, the team will head to Mount Panorama for the Bathurst 1000, with Practice 1 to begin proceedings on Thursday, October 10.

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