SOUTH COAST AUTOMOTIVE TAKES POLE
POSITION AS SPEED ON TWEED NAMING SPONSOR

ONE of Australia’s most popular historic motorsports events, the Festival of Speed on Tweed, has signed the South Coast Automotive Group as naming sponsor for this year’s running of the round-the-streets speed trials in Murwillumbah, northern New South Wales, on 10-12 September.

Now called the South Coast Automotive Speed on Tweed, the event is expected to attract around 200 racing, sports and touring cars for a weekend of competition and social events in the picturesque town on the Tweed River.

The South Coast Automotive Group, which sells new Mazda and Nissan vehicles from its Tweed Heads dealerships, has committed active and comprehensive support for Speed on Tweed.

Managing Director Maurie Pickering, who plans to race in the event, said the company wanted to ensure Speed on Tweed was a big success for the Northern Rivers region.

“Speed on Tweed is unlike any other historic racing event in Australia. It has a beautiful setting, a street course that challenges drivers and entertains spectators, a great after-hours social program and a welcoming country atmosphere,” Mr Pickering said.

“The South Coast Automotive Group will be an enthusiastic, active sponsor. Our dealerships will sell tickets and host car displays, run competitions to win memorabilia, assist with marketing resources and make available for pre-event activities our South Coast Mazda Driver Awareness Ambassador and V8 Supercar driver Steve Johnson and South Coast Nissan Ambassador Luke O’Dwyer of the Gold Coast Titans.

“We are proud to be part of an event that since 2002 has brought to Murwillumbah many of the greatest Australian racing drivers, including world champions Sir Jack Brabham and Alan Jones, Le Mans winners Geoff Brabham and Vern Schuppan  and touring car legends such as Dick Johnson, Jim Richards, the late Frank Gardner, John Bowe and many more.”

The not-for-profit Festival of Speed on Tweed is owned by the Rotary Club of Murwillumbah and Rally Australia and runs with a large team of volunteer officials and workers.

Chairman Bill Larkin said the South Coast Automotive Group’s sponsorship would greatly assist the event and its ultimate goal of supporting local charities.

“We’re extremely fortunate to have a racing enthusiast like Maurie Pickering and his team at South Coast Automotive Group as our partners in the South Coast Automotive Speed on Tweed. With their involvement, we look forward to another successful weekend,” Mr Larkin said.

The 2010South Coast Automotive Speed on Tweed will celebrate the so-called Australian Specials racing cars, hundreds of which were built in the early years after World War II when specialised British and European racing cars were in short supply.

Resourceful enthusiasts used modified production chassis, engines and gearboxes combined with lightweight bodywork to create many effective race winners.

A surprising number of these remain in active competition and organisers hope to attract them to Speed on Tweed. Entries close tomorrow.

As well as two days’ of individual timed runs on the temporary street course near the centre of Murwillumbah, the South Coast Automotive Speed on Tweed will include a street parade and party on Friday and Saturday night entertainment. Local businesses dress up their premises and pubs and restaurants offer an enthusiastic welcome to visitors.

Spectator tickets are expected to go on sale this month.

FOR MORE OF THE LATEST NEWS ON WHAT IS HAPPENING

Join us on facebook for up to date discussions and news.