21/09/2023 12:09
Reigning British Touring Car Champions, EXCELR8, can today confirm that it has signed a new multi-year deal to remain with primary partner, Bristol Street Motors, which will take effect from the start of the 2024 season.
The Suffolk-based team has competed with Bristol Street Motors’ support for a number of years after introducing the Hyundai i30 Fastback N into the series, with the award-winning motor retailer taking up the role of title sponsor for the past two seasons.
That expanded partnership has coincided with EXCELR8’s most successful spell in Britain’s leading race series, with twelve of the team’s 15 race wins coming whilst competing under the Bristol Street Motors name, along with 29 podium finishes.
Those figures played a key role in EXCELR8 reaching the pinnacle of the sport when it secured the 2022 championship title with Tom Ingram, who remains firmly in contention for the championship title, with two rounds of the current season left to run.
As well as being a huge success on the race track, the partnership between EXCELR8 and Bristol Street Motors has continued to go from strength to strength away from the circuit, with the motor retailer using its relationship with the team to promote its brand to a huge, and knowledgeable audience.
The launch of 'The Street', a fan zone unit touring nationwide this season, has provided Bristol Street Motors with a way in which to engage directly with fans attending BTCC meetings, whilst the team and its four drivers – Tom Ingram, Tom Chilton, Ronan Pearson and Nick Halstead - have represented the brand at various wider events, including Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The partnership has also played an important role in enabling Bristol Street Motors to improve its already industry-leading social media figures, with the brand having been praised for its 'vast and diverse activity across all platforms and pages’ when winning the award for Social Media of the Year at the 2022 Motor Trader Industry Awards.
Justina Williams, EXCELR8 Team Owner, said: "We are absolutely delighted to be able to confirm that we have extended our partnership with Bristol Street Motors, and even more so that the new agreement is for multiple seasons.
"In recent years, their support has played a key role in the success that we have enjoyed on track, culminating in the championship victory last season, and the strength of our relationship is reflected in the fact that we can announce this new deal with two rounds still to run in 2023.
"Developing long-term relationships such as this, particularly in the current climate, is far from easy and it takes a lot of hard work from everyone involved to ensure that they are successful. With the stability of a new multi-year agreement in place, we can now look forward to working with Bristol Street Motors to build on everything we have achieved together so far."
Robert Forrester, Chief Executive of Bristol Street Motors, said: “Our partnership with EXCELR8, within the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), has proven to be a huge success in recent years, and we are thrilled to extend our agreement into 2024 and beyond.
“The team shares our drive and desire to be at the very top, which has been reflected in the results that have been scored on track, and the way in which our partnership has grown ever stronger off track.
“We look forward to not only cheering the team on in its bid for Championship silverware, but also continuing to engage with BTCC fans to enhance their experience on race weekends; I have no doubt that there will be plenty more to celebrate in the coming seasons.”