North West 200 Event Director, Mervyn Whyte, has described the famous road race’s new association with Vauxhall Motors as “an exhilarating partnership.”

As revealed in Tuesday’s News Letter, the British car giant has increased its involvement with Northern Ireland’s biggest outdoor sporting occasion, taking over as title backers from Relentless Energy Drink.

At the official launch of the 2013 event in Belfast, Whyte said of the new deal: “We are delighted to be working with Vauxhall Motors.

“As an organisation and a team they understand the event and share our passion for not only the success of the North West, but the desire to further develop the event into something very exciting and new for 2013.

“Together we have already achieved a few ‘firsts’ and I’m looking forward to what will be an exhilarating partnership.”

The organisers are confident the deal will enhance the appeal of the North West 200 across the UK and throughout Europe.

A series of planned new ventures include a high-profile presence at the Motorcycle Live show at Birmingham’s NEC next month, where new pre-Christmas discounted race packages and hospitality tickets will be available.

The show will also present an opportunity to take the North West 200 to a bigger audience and promote the key attractions of the North Coast.

An extensive Vauxhall North West 200 stand at the event will host a stream of leading competitors who will take part in live interviews with Steve Parrish and Jamie Whitham.

Gordon Hannen, Vauxhall’s Regional Operations Manager for Scotland and Northern Ireland, said: “We are proud to be associated with the North West 200 and as title sponsor we share a responsibility in making the 2013 event the best ever.

“To that end we have been working with the team at the North West for the last few months on ideas to increase the profile of the event, some of which you have heard today and many of which I am pleased to say are still to come.”

Vauxhall became involved with the NW200 for the first time this year, throwing its support behind the inaugural Supertwin race, won by KMR Kawasaki’s Ryan Farquhar.


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