Caravan companies race to join V8 Supercars

Just four years since opening its doors, New Age Caravans has announced a minor sponsorship deal with Dick Johnson Racing for this year’s V8 Supercars Championship.??

New Age’s Brendan Murphy said the opportunity to get involved with Dick Johnson Racing was “pretty exciting” and a way of “diversifying our marketing strategy”.

“It’s not only having our logo and branding on the car and getting exposure on TV, but there are a lot of opportunities with their suppliers that fit very well with our business, and opens up a lot of opportunities for us as well,” he explained.

The one-year deal, believed to be a substantial six figure sum, includes New Age’s logo on the front and rear of the #17 car, driven by Tim Blanchard.

Mr Murphy said New Age would supply caravans for use by team members and sponsors at many of this year’s 15 rounds including the Bathurst 1000.??

The New Age deal, comes four years after 85-year-old Roma Caravans, also based in Melbourne, got seriously involved in the V8 Championship.

Brendan Palmarini from Roma Caravans said the company started as a personal sponsor of racing driver Alex Davison before getting involved with Stone Brothers Racing when the then 29-year old moved up into V8 Supercars in 2009.

This year Roma will have its logo on the Team Jeld-Wen #18 car driven by Davison, who finished 42nd in last year’s Championship.?

As one of Australia's oldest RV manufacturers, Mr Palmarini said exposure at V8 Supercar events and on television, “opened up a wider market” and allowed Roma to target a younger demographic who might not traditionally buy caravans.

“Out of the sport we’re getting the mid to young age group coming through and it’s working well for us,” he said.

Roma is currently building a custom-built “sponsors’ caravan” for V8 Supercar events which should be ready by June.

“We’ve teamed up with Pepsi Max, Castrol and a few other companies to put together a sponsors’ suite, as a more affordable option than the $3000 a head corporate suite,” he said.?

“A few companies can’t justify that. This is a good option where drivers can go there for a meet and greet, and there are TV screens in there… it’s not your conventional caravan.”

Professional stunt driver Ken Block will be using a standard 20ft Roma Elegance at this week’s opening round in Adelaide, while Alex Davison often takes his personal triple axle luxury Roma caravan to events.

Costing “in excess of half a million (dollars),” the V8 Supercar sponsorship swallows most of the annual marketing budget of Roma, which averages around 350 custom-built caravans a year.
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“(2012 was) one of those years that retail wise, we were doing it tough, but I think if you hang your name out there, keep it in their face… it pays off,” Mr Palmarini said.??

He said FPR, which supplies the team’s race cars, is also working on a special, lightweight steel chassis that will underpin future Roma caravans.

Davison’s V8 Supercar is scheduled to be on display at the Roma stand at next month’s Melbourne Caravan Supershow, with a driver appearance also on the cards over the week-end.

New Age Caravans officially announced its V8 Supercars sponsorship with a special appearance by Dick Johnson at last week’s South Australian Caravan & Camping Show.
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One of Australia’s oldest teams, Dick Johnson Racing has struggled to stay afloat financially in recent times. New Age Caravans is one of 23 supporting ‘partners’ for the popular Queensland-based team, which secured new major sponsors Advam and Wilson Security just days before the season opening Clipsal 500 this week-end.?