Leading V8 Supercar team Ford Performance Racing has announced today that two of its major corporate partners, Castrol, and Orrcon have confirmed their alliance with the factory-backed Ford outfit for a further two years.

Castrol will return in 2009 as the naming rights sponsor of the #6 Castrol FPR Falcon driven by Steve Richards while Orrcon will become the sole naming rights sponsor of Mark Winterbottom’s #5 Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon.

Over the past two years Castrol and Orrcon have enjoyed success through their partnership with FPR both on and off the track with both companies working closely to leverage their investment through sponsorship recognition and business-to-business opportunities.

Castrol’s Director of Marketing Andrew Johnson believes the oil manufacturer’s partnership with a front-running team in the V8 Supercar Championship provides the perfect platform for the company to promote its high-performance oil, Castrol EDGE.

“Castrol has been involved in the Australian Touring Car and V8 Supercar Championships for over 30 years and we are continually amazed at the benefits it can provide us as a company,” said Johnson.

“In the current economic climate it is vital for a company to ensure that it’s getting the best return for its sponsorship investment and after 109 years, Castrol & motorsport still go hand in hand”

“The V8 Supercar Championship is a great platform to demonstrate our high-performance Castrol EDGE range of products under extreme race conditions.”

Since joining the sport in 2002, Orrcon, manufacturer and distributor of steel tube and pipe, has continually raised the bar in leveraging its sponsorship investment in the V8 Supercar Championship.

Over the past two years Orrcon staff and customers have enjoyed a renewed enthusiasm for the sport by being aligned with the front-running FPR team.

“V8 Supercar racing is fast-paced and somewhere that you’ve always got to be on top of your game if you are going to succeed – very much like the steel industry,” said Orrcon Managing Director, Leon Andrewartha.

“Since we joined the sport in 2002 we have always been striving to achieve the next goal through our involvement. These goals have included such things as more interactive opportunities for our staff and customers, greater results by our team on the track and greater results by our sales team. So far we have continually achieved these goals thanks to a great partnership with teams like Ford Performance Racing and we are looking forward to continuing our relationship into the future.

“Next year will be the fifth year that Orrcon has been involved with Mark Winterbottom’s career. We have watched him mature into a serious championship contender and I’m pleased that he will once again be a large part of our V8 Supercar program.”

Ford Performance Racing Team Principal Tim Edwards is pleased to be extending the current relationship with both Castrol and Orrcon.

“To have two companies to the calibre of Castrol and Orrcon re-confirm their commitment to FPR in these tough economic times is very pleasing,” said Edwards.

“Both companies are forward thinking in their involvement in the sport and leveraging their sponsorship investment. I’m really looking forward to having both companies continue their current involvement.”

V8 Supercars Australia welcomed the announcement in a year where it has also signed significant sponsorship extensions and new agreements across the board, as well as adding the Townsville and Sydney 400 events to the 2009 calendar.

“It is tough economic times across the board so it is great to see that our sport continues to grow and that commercial partners recognise the value in being part of it,” V8 Supercars Australia CEO Cameron Levick said.

“We welcome Castrol and Orrcon back on board and look forward to continuing their great partnership with FPR and V8 Supercars.”