New partnership to boost Indigenous motorsport ambitions

A major partnership with Viva Energy is set to boost young Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders seeking careers in motorsport through the ground-breaking Racing Together program.

The three-year financial backing from Viva Energy, sponsor of the Shell V-Power Racing Team, will help Racing Together expand from its present Queensland-based pilot status to other centres around Australia.

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Racing Together Chairman Garry Connelly AM welcomed Viva Energy’s support for the not-for-profit program, which he co-founded with his wife Monique Connelly.

“We started Racing Together late last year with tentative steps, but it has flourished quickly thanks to the support of many in the motorsport and Indigenous communities,” he said.

“We have already put a car on track, run by our first group of 10 Indigenous teenage girls and boys, for two meetings in the Queensland Hyundai Excel championship.

“Racing Together is extremely grateful to commence the new partnership with Viva Energy, a leading energy company that supplies about a quarter of Australia’s fuel requirements, including Shell fuel and lubricants.

“It will enable a significant boost to our activities. Viva Energy will help us train more than 130 young people in all aspects of motorsport participation on- and off-track, and also mentor them in important personal matters such as education, health and well-being and road safety.

“We’ll select a group every year to form a team comprising mechanics, drivers, strategists, managers, data specialists, logistic experts and event officials and eventually hope to award one outstanding person the prize of a place in the Ferrari Academy (Asia Pacific).”

Garry and Monique Connelly have extensive experience in Australian and international motorsport as officials and competitors.

Among a number of significant roles, Mr Connelly is Australia’s Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Delegate, a member of the World Motor Sport Council of the FIA and a Permanent Chair of the Stewards in Formula 1.

Several high-profile members of the Supercars fraternity have joined the Racing Together initiative, including Shell V-Power Racing boss Ryan Story, Triple Eight Race Engineering Managing Director and Team Principal Roland Dane, and 2014 Bathurst winner Paul Morris.

Indigenous Olympic beach volleyball player Taliqua Clancy and the former chief executive of the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland Ian Gillespie are also board members. 

Racing Together also is supported by Indigenous organisation Gunya Meta and the national governing authority Motorsport Australia.