REPCO RALLY AUSTRALIA HOSTS WIDE CHOICE IN CORPORATE ENTERTAINMENT

MEDIA RELEASE – 24 June 2009

REPCO RALLY AUSTRALIA HOSTS WIDE
CHOICE IN CORPORATE ENTERTAINMENT

BUSINESSES, social groups and individuals will be able to experience the pure excitement of Special Stage and Super Special Stage action from the comfort of fully-catered hospitality suites at Repco Rally Australia in September.

The line-up of corporate hospitality choices for the FIA World Rally Championship round in the New South Wales Northern Rivers on 3-6 September was announced today, along with the official launch of ticket sales to the public through Ticketek.

Rally Australia will provide an exceptional motorsport experience for hospitality guests, who will be able to see stars such as five-time World Champion Sebastien Loeb in action from prime viewing positions, experience the unique atmosphere of World Championship rallying and enjoy facilities that ensure spectating is fun, comfortable and easy.

Repco Rally Australia Chairman of Directors Alan Evans said the range of hospitality packages, priced from just $199, had been designed to suit everyone from individuals to local business operators with limited budgets and through to large companies wanting to entertain interstate or overseas guests.“In most corporate areas you will be able to select the number of uses of the facility that you require during the event, making this not only the most affordable World Championship or world-class event being conducted in Australia in 2009, but also the most flexible and user-friendly for our clientele,” Mr Evans said.

“Our hospitality packages represent terrific value for money, particularly considering this is an event that takes second place only to Formula 1 in FIA World Championship status,” Mr Evans said.

“We have had many enquiries even before the packages were officially announced, including from a number of international groups and some of the World Rally teams wanting to bring overseas guests.

“Our packages all include brunch, lunch or dinner and private bathrooms and offer wide a range of extra choices including company signage, grandstand seating, guest drop-in passes and exclusive behind-the-scenes tours.

“They are suitable for groups of all sizes, but we especially recommend them for businesses in the Northern Rivers region. The packages are flexible and affordable, provide a world-class opportunity never before available in the region and allow businesses to showcase their involvement in an event that has been independently forecast to bring in around $30 million worth of economic benefit.”

Daytime hospitality suites will be operated on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at locations on the rural gravel Special Stages in the Tweed and Kyogle Shires. All include coach transfers from rally headquarters at SALT Resort Village at Kingscliff.

At night, action switches to the thrilling Tweed Super Special Stage around the streets of Murwillumbah, where the Heart of the Tweed Club and Rally Australia Club and private Champions and VIP Gold suites are located.

These trackside positions ensure the best viewing as the field of up to 60 cars races through the streets three at a time in pursuit style with headlights blazing, brakes glowing and exhausts spitting flames.

Corporate entertainment prices start at just $199 in the Club 88 Syndicated Special Stage facility.

Repco Rally Australia will pioneer single or multiple-use themed private suites at the Tweed Special Stage.

“At most events you have to buy corporate facilities for the whole event. We believe that you should only buy what you want to use.”

A brochure and booking form outlining all the corporate hositality opportunities and benefits available at Repco Rally Australia are available now by calling (0406) 318 847 or emailing marketing@rallyaustralia.com.au.

ENDS

TICKETS FROM $22 TO SEE STARS IN
ACTION AT REPCO RALLY AUSTRALIA

SPECTATORS will be able to see the world’s greatest rally drivers in action for as little as $22 when Repco Rally Australia hits the road in the New South Wales Northern Rivers on 3-6 September.

Tickets for Rally Australia, round 10 of 12 in the 2009 FIA World Rally Championship, were released officially for sale through Ticketek (www.ticketek.com.au) today – just 72 days before competition begins with a nighttime Super Special Stage on the closed streets of Murwillumbah.

Prices, including pre-purchase discounts, range from $22 for an adult to watch the Saturday or Sunday gravel special stages to $372.50 for a Family Whole Event Super Pass with daily access to all viewing points and grandstand seating for the Tweed Super Special Stage at Murwillumbah.

An individual Whole Event Super Pass, providing access to all gravel Special Stages and all nights of the Tweed Super Special Stage, is just $99.

Citroen’s five-time World Champion driver Sebastien Loeb, his teammate Dani Sordo, Ford stars Mikko Hirvonen, Jarri-Matti Latvala, Henning Solberg, Matthew Wilson and Federico Villagra, the world’s fastest Production Rally Car drivers, finalists in the Pirelli Star Driver program and a strong contingent of Australians will form a field of up to 60 entries for the rally.

The line-up of great drivers, range of viewing opportunities and wide choice of ticket options will make Repco Rally Australia the best-value international motor sports event on the Australian calendar, says event Chairman of Directors Alan Evans.

“Repco Rally Australia is a fantastic opportunity, whether you are a family or group of friends looking for spectacular entertainment or a dyed-in-the-wool rally fan,” Mr Evans said.

“The WRC drivers and teams have a massive following in many parts of the world, but will be coming to this part of Australia for the first time hungry to fight for the newest prize in world rallying.

“Rally competition is more about car control, physical and mental toughness, teamwork and tactics than outright speed. Sebastien Loeb is an absolute master of all that and we’re truly excited that one of the world’s greatest drivers in any form of motorsport will be competing at Repco Rally Australia.

“He’s won five world championships in a row and before that been a member of the French national gymnastics team and will be amazing to watch in action on the roads of the Tweed and Kyogle shires.”

Rally Australia will cover more than 340 kilometres in competition on closed public roads between Kingscliff, on the coast, and south-west of Kyogle, around 120 kms inland.

General Admission viewing in no-alcohol areas with catering facilities will be available for 12 of the gravel Special Stages, with the timetable arranged so spectators can see the action from at least two points each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

However, the biggest crowds are expected at the Tweed Super Special Stage on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, when cars will race three at a time, pursuit-style, around two laps of a 1.2 kilometre street circuit near the centre of Murwillumbah.

Adult tickets to the Tweed Super Special Stage will cost from just $25 per night or $75 for three nights and provide entry to an unforgettable experience as the World Rally cars race around the course with brakes glowing-hot, exhausts spitting flame and headlights blazing.

While Repco Rally Australia is a new major event for New South Wales, it continues the tradition of Australia’s round of the World Rally Championship run out of Perth between 1988 and 2006. At Repco Rally Australia, spectators at the Tweed Super Special stage will occupy grandstands name after two former Rally Australia winners, Juha Kankkkunen (1989, 90, 91 and 93) and Colin McRae (1994, 97).

The course will be shared on Saturday and Sunday with the Speed on Tweed Festival, one of Australia’s most popular sprint events for classic and historic cars. Speed on Tweed tickets will be sold separately unless purchased with a Whole Event Super Pass.

While ticketed Special Stage spectating will be the highlight of Repco Rally Australia, the public also will have bonus free access to several activities where drivers and their cars can be seen at close quarters.

These include service parks at Kingscliff and Kyogle, a rally show, start festivities and free concert at Murwillumbah on Thursday night and the ceremonial finish at the Kingscliff service park on Sunday afternoon.

ENDS