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SPECIAL

Ford Territory

SPECIAL

Ford Territory

Long Time Backer Returns as Major Sponsor for Seton

Staff, Friday February 15, 2002.

Page 1 of 1

The announcement as the major sponsor for 2002 is part of Ford Credit?s 30th birthday celebrations in Australia. Ford Credit has grown to become one of Australia's biggest automotive finance specialists with 300 employees across five capital cities, receivables of $4.1 billion and over 162,000 accounts serving Ford and non-Ford customers.

The relationship between Ford Credit Ford and Glenn Seton is not new. Ford Credit carried major naming rights sponsorship to the Seton Ford Falcon team between 1996 and 1998, including the Seton?s championship winning year of 1997.

The 2002 package is a dynamic new look for the two-time V8 Series Champion and includes a focused effort on a one-car operation.

With a paint scheme designed in conjunction with Ford Motor Company designer Nick Hogios and world leading automotive paint specialists PPG, the Ford Credit Falcon will be one of the most striking cars in the V8 Championship.

The #5 Ford Falcon will race in a totally new-look for 2002, of silver, blue and red. This look will carry over to an extensive range of merchandise for race fans.

Seton has one of the most impressive records in Australian motor sport. Included in his statistics are 35 race wins, 51 podium places and 33 front row stars; all achieved from 149 races.

?2002 is about going to the head of the pack of V8 Supercars,? said Seton.

?This championship is without doubt the toughest form of circuit racing anywhere in the world. However, our preparation, including the securing of Ford Credit as naming rights sponsor, has us in a very strong position for the 2002 season.

?We have the machinery in the form of the same Falcon that set the fastest ever qualifying lap at Bathurst (2minutes 9.7785seconds), and a dedicated team of technicians to give us the edge on the track?.

?The first championship round in Adelaide will mark my 150th start in the championship. I can think of no better way to celebrate that achievement and the return of Ford Credit as naming rights sponsor, than with a victory on the streets of Adelaide.

For Ford Credit, Glenn Seton and the V8 Championship itself continues to provide a high profiled medium to market itself to the wider population.

?The provision of automotive finance and insurance products that Ford Credit specialises in, is a very competitive market ? a market we believe mirrors V8 Supercars,? said Geoff Green, Managing Director of Ford Credit Australia.

?The return to Ford Credit Racing enables us to increase the exposure of the recently introduced Ford Solutions products, including Ford Insure comprehensive motor vehicle insurance.

?With over 1.4 million people actually attending races in 2001, as well as a TV and general media audience of many more million, Ford Credit is set to grow its business with the resumption of naming rights sponsorship of Glenn?s car.

?Glenn won the championship in 1997 driving for Ford Credit Racing and we anticipate Glenn having a very strong season this year. Through the Ford Credit Network I know that he and the entire team will enjoy enthusiastic support.?

The Ford Credit Racing team has also announced that Owen Kelly has signed-on for the endurance races, as well as full time testing role with the team.

24 year-old Kelly is one of Australia?s hottest young talents with widespread experience in different categories including V8 Supercars. Kelly scored a top-10 result at the 2001 Queensland 500 and also finished 13th at Bathurst.

?Ford Credit Racing certainly has the pedigree to win Bathurst,? said Kelly.

?Coming on board early in the year means that I can work closely with Glenn and the entire team leading up to Queensland and Bathurst.

?Glenn is yet to win at Bathurst, but I?m sure that we can combine to give it a real shake this year?.

Ford Credit Racing will carry out a full testing session at Winton Raceway (Victoria) on Monday 18 February before tackling the non-championship V8 support races at the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park between February 28 and March 3.

The 12-round V8 Supercar Series itself start at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide between March 15-17.

GLENN SETON

Glenn Seton started his motorsport career in karts in 1979, and was took two-time runner-up Australian Junior Championships (1980, 1981) in the category.

He then moved into cars and made his debut in the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1984. A second-generation racer, he drove at Surfer?s Paradise in father Bo?s Ford Capri.

In 1986, he joined the Nissan team, taking the wheel of a Group A Nissan Skyline. It took him only two years to make an impact ? the following year he was runner-up in the Championship. He also took second at Bathurst, driving with John Bowe.

In 1989 he set up Glenn Seton Racing to drive a Ford Sierra with sponsorship from Peter Jackson. It was a slow start but the results started happening in 1990 when he won the Sandown 500 and was second in the Nissan 500 at Eastern Creek to clinch the Australian Endurance Championship. The same year he won the Group A support race at the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide.

In 1992, Seton took out the Winfield Triple Challenge at Eastern Creek , the first of a hattrick of titles for this event. The following year Seton took his first touring car championship in 1993 and was runner-up for the next two years before taking the crown again in 1997.

In 1993 and 1994, it was victory in the Triple Challenge again. 1994 was a year of solid performances ending with pole position at Bathurst and second place in the Championship to old friend and rival, Mark Skaife. In 1995, Seton was second in the Championship to former teammate John Bowe.

GSR went into the 1996 season with Ford Credit as a new sponsor. It was to be a better year with a number of pole positions, including Bathurst and the inaugural Melbourne Grand Prix support race, and some strong podium finishes.

The year 1997 was one of Seton?s best. With 10 race victories to his credit, he dominated the season and won the Championship again, four races clear of his closest rival.

Glenn Seton Racing became Ford Tickford Racing at the start of 1999 finishing equal third in the championship. In 2001 Seton had several strong results including a number of podium finishes, but the Championship (he finished fifth in the points score) and a Bathurst win eluded him.

2002 was a character-building year for Seton, but he once again showed his status at Bathurst clocking the fastest recorded time at Mount Panorama (2min 9.6770sec) during qualifying, before a cut tyre in the final 30-laps ended his challenge. The return of Ford Credit as naming rights sponsor and a focused effort with a one-car team is sure to Seton once again challenge for the 2002 title.

GLENN SETON - BRIEF

GLENN SETON STATISTICS

OWEN KELLY

Owen Kelly has quickly become one of the brightest talents in Australian motor sport, with success across a wide range of categories including V8 Supercars. Kelly cut his teeth in the competitive world of go-karting between 1987-1997, mainly racing in his homeland state of Tasmania.

In 1996 he made his first foray into racecars with two outings in the Australian Porsche Cup, which included a fourth placing on debut at Winton Raceway (Victoria).

In 1998 Kelly gained the attention of the Holden Race Team who offered him full guidance and testing duties for the Young Lions team.

In the same year he made his Formula Ford debut taking victory in the Winton round of the Victorian series. Continued in Formula Ford in 1999 with the highlight being a second placing at the Gold Coast Indy in front of the watching eyes of some of the world?s leading motorsports teams.

After driving for different teams in the previous years, Owen decided in 2000 to run his own Spectrum 07 prepared by Galloway Developments. This proved a wise choice in many respects with second in Australian Formula One Grand Prix support event, as well as victory at Phillip Island. However, the tough world of sponsorship forced the Tasmanian out of the series with two rounds remaining while positioned fourth on the points table.

Kelly?s obvious talent was once again catching the attention of many of the country?s leading V8 teams. The Big Kev Race team gave Kelly several days testing alongside Paul Morris at Lakeside International Raceway and Queensland Raceway. He made his V8 Bathurst debut at Mount Panorama in the ?Big Kev? VS Holden Commodore, but was forced out on just the second lap with mechanical dramas.

The Nemo team, which operates Big Kev Racing, also gave Kelly the opportunity to race in the Super Tourer Championship aboard a BMW 320i. He contested the final three rounds of the series, gaining four second placings behind Morris, as well as a third to claim seventh overall in the Championship.

2001 was a busy year once again for Kelly contesting the Konica V8 Supercar Series aboard a John Faulkner Racing VS Holden Commodore. He won the third round of the Series at Winton Motor Raceway before taking second behind Series winner Simon Wills at the sixth round of the Series at Mallala Motorsport Park, claiming fourth outright in the Championship.

The Konica Series result saw Kelly gain an invitation to join the Holden Young Lions team for the endurance Events at Queensland Raceway and Mount Panorama. He finished ninth at Queensland 500 partnering the team?s lead driver Paul Romano then backed-up to earn thirteenth at the Bathurst.

OWEN KELLY - BRIEF

OWEN KELLY - STATISTICS

CHAMPIONSHIP RESULT

BATHURST

QUEENSLAND 500

Ford Credit Racing

Following three years as an associate sponsor of Glenn Seton Racing, Ford Credit returns as the naming rights backer from 2002. It was during the years 1996 ? 1998, that Ford Credit last held the naming rights to the Seton team, a period that included the 1997 title.

Without doubt one of Australia?s leading teams in V8 Supercar racing, an organisation that since its inception in 1989 has exclusively run Ford products.

Glenn Seton Racing started with sponsorship from Phillip Morris, an arrangement that lasted until the ban of tobacco sponsorship at the end of 1995. The highly experienced Seton then picked up the support of Ford Credit until 1999 when the team was known as Ford Tickford Racing.

Ford Credit Racing will field one-car in 2002 in a concerted effort to take Seton and the Ford Credit brand back to the front in the world?s most competitive form of circuit racing.

Ford Credit Racing is based in the Melbourne premises that Glenn Seton Racing had used since its inception. The team is officially backed by the Ford Motor Company of Australia, gaining not only financial, but also technical and marketing assistance.

For further information contact:
Ben Beazley
Media Coordinator
Ford Racing
Phone: (03) 9533 4455
Mobile: 0417-262 753
Email: ben@segalmedia.com.au

Jon Matthews
Team Manager
Ford Credit Racing
Phone: (03) 9706 8901
Mobile: 0418-880 851
Email: gsrteam@bigpond.com

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