Jones and allies look to future
19/10/2001 11:42 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) -
Brad Jones is firming up support and rallying his allies in preparation for a beefed-up attack on the V8 Supercar series.
Jones’ major partners, OzEmail and Ford, reaffirmed their support in an announcement at the Sydney Motor Show on Wednesday.
Under the new deal, Ford Motorsport General Manager Howard Marsden has promised greater “technical, financial and managerial assistance” to the modest Albury-based operation.
Naming-rights sponsor, OzEmail Internet, also re-signed with the team for a further two years.
It has prompted Jones to release his team’s business plan, which outlines the future objectives of the OzEmail Racing campaign.
Phase one of the plan will see a Jones-prepared car, the team’s spare ex-Tony Longhurst AU Falcon, on the Konica Series circuit next season, to blood a yet-to-be-announced young pilot.
The team are asking the prospective driver to bring financial support to the table for the five-round Konica campaign.
The second phase will see another Shell Series car introduced in 2003.
Jones said the second car would assist development next year, and would help the team remain a viable entity in the future.
“Kim (brother and Team Manager) and I know that to be successful in V8 Supercars we need to become at least a two car team,” he said.
“In the past week, we have finalised a two-year naming rights agreement with OzEmail and Ford Racing have increased their support. It’s been a great boost to the team and I can’t thank OzEmail and Ford Racing enough for their faith and support.
“With our corporate backing firmly in place, it’s now time to play with the big boys!”
As Ford’s stand-out performer at the Bathurst V8 Supercar 1000, where Jones and John Cleland finished a remarkable second, Marsden was quick to establish Ford’s future support.
“This will be a long-term partnership and is a result of the sterling efforts of the OzEmail Racing Team, and also on the strength of their association with OzEmail,” Marsden said.
“OzEmail will continue to throw its full support behind the team,” OzEmail Internet CEO, Justin Milne, said at the Motor Show launch.
“It’s absolutely terrific that the team has been awarded this support from Ford. Tier one status is reserved for pack leaders of the Ford team, and the OzEmail Racing Team has demonstrated that they have the mettle to compete at this level.”
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