The Surfers Paradise V8 Supercars event will be known as the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 for the next three years under a new deal announced today.
The oil giant takes over the naming rights sponsorship from Armor All, which had backed the event from 2010, when it transitioned to its V8-only format.
Castrol adds the October 24-26 Gold Coast race to its new-for-2014 Townsville 500 sponsorship.
“We are enormously proud to have Castrol as the major naming rights partner of the Gold Coast following on from the great success of the partnership at the Castrol Townsville 500 – Driven by TAFE Queensland just a few weeks ago,” said V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton.
“Castrol is a global power brand and widely acknowledged as the world’s leading specialist provider of lubricant solutions.
“Their support over the next three years will drive the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 to new heights.”
This year’s Gold Coast event will again feature a large array of off-track entertainment.
Additions for 2014 include the return of drag racing demonstrations on Friday evening and a “Las Vegas-style day Club” on MacIntosh Island, hosted by local entertainer Billy Cross.
A Saturday evening concert at the event will be headlined by Adelaide hip-hop act, The Hilltop Hoods.
“As a major point of difference we have invested our resource and focus into providing the highest level of entertainment on-track that the event has had in many years,” added Warburton.
“With the Gold Coast Light Rail now online and servicing two stops right beside the track, this one-stop entertainment precinct has never been easier to get to.
“The drags have also been added to the program while not forgetting the real core of the weekend which is a crazy 600kms of V8 Supercars on Saturday and Sunday as well as the Carrera Cup, V8 Utes and Aussie Racing Cars.”
The three-year Castrol sponsorship coincides with the duration of V8 Supercars’ current contract with the Queensland government to stage the event, as announced in July last year.
VIDEO: Speedcafe.com speaks to V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton, Holden Racing Team driver James Courtney and Castrol Australia marketing director Diana Hall at the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 launch