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Australian legend Bob Jane to sponsor Bathurst 1000

April 22, 2002 - One of the legends of Australian motorsport will again have his name on the winner's trophy at Bathurst this year,- 40 years after he won the first endurance race of the modern era at Mount Panorama in regional New South ...

April 22, 2002 - One of the legends of Australian motorsport will again have his name on the winner's trophy at Bathurst this year,- 40 years after he won the first endurance race of the modern era at Mount Panorama in regional New South Wales.

1963 (and 1964) Bathurst winner Bob Jane has become the naming rights sponsor of Australia's "Great Race", which will now be known as the Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 for the next three years.

One of the true icons of Australian sport and business, Bob Jane has joined the event promoter IMG to sponsor what will be one of the most competitive V8 Supercar endurance races ever seen in this country.

Bob Jane is celebrating 40 years in the tyre business and 31 years in franchising. Since it began franchising in 1972, Bob Jane T Marts has grown to become Australia's largest independent retailer of passenger car tyres, wheels and batteries, with serious plans for further international expansion.

This year's Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 will be held from October 10-13 and will be the 10th round of the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series.

Tickets for the event are already on sale and are available through Ticketmaster7 on 1300 136 122 or through the event's official website, www.v8supercar1000.com.

This year's race will include some great former champions such as Larry Perkins, Russell Ingall, Jim Richards, Greg Murphy and Mark Skaife as well as a host of talented young stars including Craig Lowndes, Jason Bright, Marcos Ambrose, Garth Tander and Steve Johnson.

IMG Managing Director Australia & New Zealand, Martin Jolly, said the agreement with Bob Jane was a true 'fit' and opened the door for so many marketing opportunities for all parties involved.

"There are not too many names greater than Bob Jane when it comes to Australian motorsport or business," said Jolly.

"To have Bob Jane and his T-Marts as the major sponsor of the Bathurst race, 40 years after he won the first endurance event at Mount Panorama is just fantastic. Bob has been a great supporter of motorsport in this country for so many years and this is proof that he still realises the great value that exists by marketing his company through the highest levels of the sport.

"With almost 140 outlets throughout Australia, we intend to work closely with the Bob Jane T-Mart franchise group to maximise the benefits available for everyone - especially the fans."

The Bob Jane T-Mart organisation is strongly orientated towards family, community and motorsport and all three elements will be catered for at this year's Bathurst classic, which is supported tremendously by the Bathurst City Council.

Jane hails from Brunswick in Melbourne and made a name for himself on the racing circuits of Australia in the 1960s.

In 1961 Jane won the Armstrong 500 at Phillip Island with Harry Firth in a Mercedes Benz 220SE and the pair repeated their performance again the following year in a Falcon XL.

In 1963 the Armstrong 500 moved to Bathurst's Mount Panorama and Jane and Firth won the race in a Ford Contina GT. Little did they know that this inaugural race would grow into one of the world's great endurance classics.

Jane joined forces with George Reynolds in 1964 to again win the race in another Ford Contina GT.

"It would be fair to say we did not realise how big the Bathurst race would become, or that one day I would be sponsoring it," admitted Jane.

"I am very proud considering that I won this race and the Touring Car Championship 40 years ago and this was the foundation from which the Bob Jane T Marts business was built. This is an excellent way to celebrate 40 years in the tyre industry for our company and it also recognises the important role that motorsport has played in my building of that business," Jane added.

Bathurst City Council Mayor, Councillor Ian Macintosh, said the naming rights deal with Bob Jane T-Marts was another significant point in the event's history.

"As partners in the V8 1000, the Bathurst City Council is delighted to welcome Bob Jane T-Marts as the major sponsor of the event," said Cr Macintosh.

"The name Bob Jane is almost as famous as the "Great Race" itself and I think the partnership provides perfect cohesion from a promotional and business level.

"I think this sponsorship marks a significant point in the history of the race which really is Australia's icon motorsport event."

Jane won his first of four national titles in a Jaguar MK II in 1962 and repeated the feat again the following year. Almost 10 years later Jane cemented his name as one of the country's great champions when he won the 1971 and 72 national touring car championships in a Chevrolet Camaro.

Jane actively retired from racing in 1984, but has continued to play an major role in Australian motorsport at many levels ever since.

FACT FILE

There has been a 500 mile or 1000 Kilometre race at Mt. Panorama every year since 1963 and since 1973 it has been for cars complying to the regulations for the Australian Touring Car Championship and more recently the V8 Supercar Championship Series.

<pre> NAME CHANGES

1963-65     ARMSTRONG 500 (Miles)
1966-67     GALLAHER 500
1968-1972   HARDIE-FERODO 500
1973-80     HARDIE-FERODO 1000 (Kilometres)
1981-87     JAMES HARDIE 1000
1988-95     TOOHEYS 1000
1996        AMP 1000
1997-98     AMP 1000 Kilometres (2-litre cars only)
1997        PRIMUS 1000 Classic (V8 Supercars)
1998        2000 FAI 1000 Classic (V8 Supercars)
2001        V8 SUPERCAR 1000
2002-04     BOB JANE T MARTS 1000

PAST WINNERS

1963 - Harry Firth/Bob Jane Ford Cortina GT 1964 - Bob Jane/George Reynolds Ford Cortina GT 1965 - Bo Seton/Midge Bosworth Ford Cortina GT500 1966 - Raunp Aaltonen/Bob Holden Morris Mini Cooper S 1967 - Harry Firth/Fred Gibson Ford Falcon XRGT 1968 - Bruce McPhee/Barry Mulholland Holden Monaro GTS 327 1969 - Colin Bond/Tony Roberts Holden Monaro GTS 327 1970 - Allan Moffat* Ford Falcon XW GTHO 1971 - Allan Moffat* Ford Falcon XY GTHO 1972 - Peter Brock* Holden Torana LJ XU1 1973 - Allan Moffat/Ian Geoghegan Ford Falcon XA GT 1974 - John Goss/Kevin Bartlett Ford Falcon XA GT 1975 - Peter Brock/Brian Sampson Holden Torana L34 1976 - Bob Morris/John Fitzpatrick Holden Torana L34 1977 - Allan Moffat/Jackie Ickx Ford Falcon XC 1978 - Peter Brock/Jim Richards Holden Torana A9X 1979 - Peter Brock/Jim Richards Holden Torana A9X 1980 - Peter Brock/Jim Richards Holden Commodore VB 1981 - Dick Johnson/John French Ford Falcon XD 1982 - Peter Brock/Larry Perkins Holden Commodore VH 1983 - Peter Brock/Larry Perkins/John Harvey Holden Commodore VH 1984 - Peter Brock/Larry Perkins Holden Commodore VK 1985 - Armin Hahne/John Goss Jaguar XJS 1986 - Allan Grice/Graeme Bailey Holden Commodore VK 1987 - Peter Brock/David Parsons/Peter McLeod Holden Commodore VL 1988 - Tony Longhurst/Tomas Mezera Ford Sierra RS500 1989 - Dick Johnson/John Bowe Ford Sierra RS500 1990 - Allan Grice/Win Percy Holden Commodore VL 1991 - Jim Richards/Mark Skaife Nissan GT-R 1992 - Jim Richards/Mark Skaife Nissan GT-R 1993 - Larry Perkins/Gregg Hansford Holden Commodore VP 1994 - Dick Johnson/John Bowe Ford Falcon EB 1995 - Larry Perkins/Russell Ingall Holden Commodore VR 1996 - Craig Lowndes/Greg Murphy Holden Commodore VR 1997 - **Geoffrey Brabham/David Brabham BMW 320i 1997 - Larry Perkins/Russell Ingall Holden Commodore VS 1998 - **Rickard Rydell/Jim Richards Volvo S40 1998 - Jason Bright/Steven Richards Ford Falcon EL 1999 - Greg Murphy/Steven Richards Holden Commodore VT 2000 - Garth Tander/Jason Bargwanna Holden Commodore VT 2001 - Mark Skaife/Tony Longhurst Holden Commodore VX

* - Denotes - Single driver race ** - Denotes 2-litre Super Touring event of same year

-Marinelli Motorsport

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