COOLDRIVE SET TO EXPAND

CoolDrive Auto Parts has expanded its motorsport interests by announcing a partnership with Racer Industries, Australia’s leading motorsport parts supplier.

From the next financial year, starting July 1, all Racer Industries’ products will be available to CoolDrive’s trade customers online, with the automotive parts distributor set to eventually take the business into its fold.

John Blanchard, CEO of CoolDrive Auto Parts is excited by the announcement and seeing the growth of the brand.

“We are excited to welcome the Racer Industries business to CoolDrive,” Blanchard said.

“Our passion for performance and racing products is demonstrated through our CoolDrive Racing Supercar team, but with Racer joining CoolDrive, we are able to take this to a whole new level and provide a unique offer to our existing customer base and improved service to Racer’s customer base.

“CoolDrive has been expanding its performance product offering in recent years, and this move allows us to significantly expand our performance product range while adding the racing specific offering to complement it.”

Co-founder and managing director or Racer Industries Ryan McLeod will remain within the fold, as he continues to oversee its operations.

“After starting Racer in 2005 with Paul Morris, this new partnership with CoolDrive offers us the opportunity to leverage off CoolDrive’s resources to really grow the Racer business to new heights,” McLeod said.

“Using CoolDrive’s extensive and renowned national trade and distribution network, we will be able to offer all trade customers direct access to our range of racing products. This is an industry first in Australia and is big news for our customers and suppliers.

“We see huge potential for Racer in the coming years especially in the Trade industry where CoolDrive are so well known to provide a service on a National level not many others can replicate.”

The extensive Racer Industries product part range includes Sparco, Recaro, Project Mu, Racelogic, Quickcar, Longacre and Tilton just to name a few.

Former Bathurst 1000 winner Paul Morris co-founded Racer Industries alongside McLeod and believes the new alignment will bring growth.

“The Blanchard family are the people to drive Racer Industries into the future, we have parallel family and business values,” Morris said.

“I’m proud of what Ryan has achieved with the business so far, his knowledge of the racing industry, combining with the CoolDrive operation is the right move for the business and our customers.”

CoolDrive’s major focus is on brake components as it stocks renowned brands Bremtec, Brembo and Bosch, while Project Mu is added to the line-up through Racer Industries.

As well as this CoolDrive will handle distribution of race series specific items including wheels, fuel cells and fire systems for the Supercars category, where Racer Industries is the appointed supplier.

CoolDrive is owned and run by the Blanchard family, which features three-generations of motorsport involvement. Former full-time Supercars driver Tim Blanchard continues this tradition after entering his own team into Australia’s top-tier category.

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