SANDOWN, Australia—The organizers of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship have renewed their race tire supply agreement with Goodyear & Dunlop Tyres (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. (GDT) for five more years, through the 2024 season.
The contract extension, announced at the series' most recent race weekend, in Sandown, extends a relationship that dates to 2002, for what then was known as the V8 Supercars Championship with Dunlop-brand race tires.
The new contract commits GDT to supplying three extra sets of tires per car per race weekend to be used during Friday practice, the organizers, V8 Supercars Holdings Pty. Ltd., said.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Goodyear, through Melbourne, Australia-based GDT, holds the contract with the Supercars series and facilitates all the stocking and operational requirements on and off track for the series. The tires are produced under contract by Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. at its factory in Nagoya, Japan.
GDT Managing Director Chris Radin said the new agreement "allows us to further increase our commitment to technological excellence, driver development and fan excitement over the next five years.
"We highly value our long-term relationship with Supercars, and we look forward to showcasing Dunlop as the premier sports and performance tire brand in the Australian market," he added, noting that the Dunlop brand has been active in Australian motorsports since the 1950s.
Considered the premier motorsport category in Australasia, the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship comprises 15 race weekends per season at 14 tracks across Australia and one in New Zealand. As many as 16 teams campaigning 25 cars competed in the 2019 season.
Cars in the series include the Holden Commodore, Ford Mustang and Nissan Altima.
The series also includes a development series, known as the Dunlop Super2 series, for up-and-coming drivers and teams.