SHANNONS GETS ON BOARD WITH AUTOSPECTACULAR
29 November 2010
Willowbank Raceway and the Queensland Autospectacular are proud to welcome Shannons Insurance onboard as naming rights sponsor for the April 10, 2011 event, as plans continue to grow for the all-new spectacular at Queensland’s premier drag racing facility.
The new deal has added to what were already exciting times for event organisers, with bookings for both individual enthusiasts, clubs and traders already coming in six months out from the event.
The sponsorship by Shannons continues the company's long-standing support of club-based motoring events around Australia.
"Shannons is Australia's best-known insurer of motoring enthusiasts and Autospectacular is a perfect fit for us because it has huge potential in its new location," said Queensland Business Development Manager Phil Ross.
"The Cleveland Autospectacular was a fantastic event when it was held at the Cleveland Showgrounds but heavily limited by the lack of space. Now that this all-new Shannons Queensland Autospectacular is to be held in a bigger and better location it could easily become the best "all make"car and bike show in the state where we will see the largest gathering of auto enthusiasts..
"This is not just a huge static show. It also features a large swap meet, 'Test & Tune' quarter mile action and a huge variety of traders.
"Shannons has always had a long association with the car club movement so we couldn't pass up this opportunity to be the major sponsor. We also hope to see the event become a two-day event in 2012."
At the 2011 Autospectacular, Shannons will be running a 'Get a quote' competition, with Hot Laps for two lucky winners with Jim Richards in his 320km/h Porsche GT2 to be taken at Lakeside Raceway on August 15 next year (conditions apply).
The famous Shannons Goggomobil will also head down Willowbank Raceway’s quarter-mile, with a prize at Autospectacular for the person who can guess its Elapsed Time.
Shannons Queensland Autospectacular Event Director John Forster said the April 2011 event is set to host in excess of 900 show and display cars and bikes and 300 traders when it hits Willowbank Raceway for the first time.
“We are just ecstatic to be able to welcome onboard such an amazing brand as Shannons Insurance to be naming rights sponsors for our event,” said Forster.
“The response since we announced this event a few months back has just been amazing, and six months out from the event we already have clubs booking their sites and traders planning their activities.
“We have also been able to welcome on board Titan Garages and Sheds as a platinum sponsor, who will have a very impressive display at the event and be giving away some fantastic prizes including Garden Sheds.
“The event management is continuing to work very hard on activities to enhance the family fun side of the Autospectacular and we are confident that this event will eclipse the success of our previous Cleveland Autospectaculr, which was arguably the largest car show of its type in Australia and immensely popular.
“As organisers, we just can’t wait!”
The Shannons Queensland Autospectacular will come to Willowbank Raceway in April of 2011 courtesy of a partnership between the Buick Car Club of Australia (Qld.) and Willowbank Raceway.
The Buick Car Club initiated and was responsible for the highly successful Cleveland Autospectacular for the previous ten years. The all-new Queensland Autospectacular event will take place at Willowbank Raceway on the 10th of April, 2011.
With the closure of the Cleveland Autospectacular through urban and other pressures the Buick Club saw this as the perfect opportunity to team with the Willowbank management team to create an all new show for 2011.
Along with the new name and venue will come a number of other new features, including the chance for show car entrants, traders and sponsors to test their cars on the Ipswich drag strip during the event in a Test ‘n’ Tune scenario.
The first SHANNONS Queensland Autospectacular will take place at Willowbank Raceway on the 10th April 2011 during the Ipswich Festival, two weeks after the Australian Top Fuel Championships – featuring racing from the ANDRA Pro Series brackets of Top Fuel, Top Bike and Pro Stock Bike – take to the track over March 25 and 26.
Willowbank Raceway is Queensland’s premier drag racing facility and hosts four major drag racing events each year - the two-round New Year Series in January, the Australian Top Fuel Championships in March and the Castrol EDGE Winternationals in June. The Queen’s Birthday event is the largest drag racing event outside of the US and is the season finale for the ANDRA Pro Series calendar.