Sponsorship shake-up for Supercars teams
The commercial silly season has been in full swing in Supercars over the holiday break, with a number of changes expected ahead of the 2022 season.
Among the anticipated changes are a pair of key reunions between powerhouse teams and former backers.
The one with the most history is a Vodafone and Triple Eight, the telco set to return as a partner this season.
While not expected to be a major backing deal, it would revive a famous partnership. Vodafone was T8's major backer between 2007 and 2012, TeamVodafone, as it was known, winning four titles with Jamie Whincup during that time.
A Vodafone/T8 deal could, however, provide a complication for new signing Broc Feeney, who has enjoyed personal backing from Boost Mobile in recent seasons.
Whincup had a similar issue, although on a significantly larger scale, when he had to cut a personal deal with Monster Energy short when T8 signed Red Bull as its naming rights backer in 2013.
The matter ended up in court as Monster fought Whincup's move to exit the existing deal.
Another sponsorship reunion on the cards is Supercheap Auto and Walkinshaw Andretti United.
SCA is expected to have a presence on the WAU cars next season, which is understood to be tied to WAU's long-standing major deal with Mobil 1.
That deals come as Chaz Mostert is expected to have a new naming rights backer on his entry this season.
Both Optus and SCA have been linked to the #25 since late last year, however it appears Mostert running primarily in Optus colours is now the likeliest outcome.
The WAU/SCA deal would then be similar to the T8/SCA deal in scale.
SCA has been a backer at WAU before, Russell Ingall and Tim Slade having raced Walkinshaw Holdens in SCA colours for two seasons each between 2012 and 2015.
Truck Assist has long been linked to Nick Percat's WAU car next season and is also expected to be a backer at Matt Stone Racing, perhaps through the NTI Insurance brand.
According to multiple sources Appliances Online, which has been Mostert's major backer a WAU for the past two seasons, is in the frame to move to James Courtney's Tickford entry this year.
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