Pye to run Shell Helix Livery at Darwin and Townsvile
June 13, 2016
Gold Coast, 14 June, 2016: Shell Helix and its 'fan favourite' livery will be the primary sponsor for the No 17 Ford of Scott Pye in the next two rounds of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship beginning at Darwin June 17-19. The team ran both Pye and Fabian Coulthard in the iconic livery at the first round in Adelaide as it returned to a two-car team for 2016, scoring a Pole Position for each driver.
Through partner and exclusive Shell licensee Viva Energy Australia, the No 17 Ford of Scott Pye will race with the latest yellow-and-red Shell Helix colours in a relationship that stretches back almost 50 years with the team. Shell has been a backer of Dick Johnson since the 1960s and also has a long and successful association with Team Penske in the United States in both NASCAR and INDYCAR.
"The reaction we received to the 'twin' Shell Helix Fords in Adelaide was extraordinary. The team has enjoyed fantastic support and genuine friendship from many people at Shell and Viva Energy over a long period of time and we are delighted to head to the two events in the North of Australia with a fully-branded Shell Helix Ford. The car that Scott will be driving is a brand new chassis, so it makes the next two rounds very important in our 2016 campaign," DJR Team Penske Managing Director Ryan Story said.
General Manager Sales of Viva Energy Australia, Daniel Ridgway, said: "Our relationship with DJR Team Penske goes beyond a sponsorship. We are proud of the major role the Shell brand has played in Australian motorsport and with Team Penske internationally as it celebrates its 50th anniversary in motorsports."
"We work together as partners on and off the track, technically with the race team and commercially with the Penske businesses. Shell has a long tradition of taking what is learned from the track and transferring that knowledge into high quality products."
The new chassis, DJRTP 03, is the second car DJR Team Penske have commissioned this year as Fabian Coulthard drove a new car in his first outing with the team at the Clipsal 500.
ABOUT VIVA ENERGY AUSTRALIA
Viva Energy Australia ("Viva Energy") was launched in mid-August 2014 following the completion of Vitol's acquisition of Shell's Australian downstream business. It comprises of the Geelong refinery, a 900 plus site-retail network and a bulk fuels, bitumen, chemicals and lubricants business supported by more than 20 terminals across the country. Viva Energy is the exclusive licensee of Shell branded fuels and lubricants in Australia. For more information – www.vivaenergy.com.au