The 2012 season was extremely successful for Gavin and the GWR Racing team who took both the regional and national championship for modified speed cars in the Senior Eliminator class. This professional race engineer and first-time SA Champion not only beat some top competition in state-of-the-art imported cars, Gavin also set a national record in a time of 7.836 seconds in his home-built Mustang V8 which was developed in his MICFA-affiliated GWR motorsport shop. Established eighteen years ago and based in Alrode South, the workshop specialises in V6 and V8 modifications. “We take extreme pride in all our work, including day to day mechanical work,” adds Gavin.

Gavin believes that the success of a sponsorship is all about building a strong relationship. “Motor racing is an expensive sport and it is impossible to race without sponsors, so the financial and product support is of tremendous assistance,” says Gavin. “But for me the true value of the sponsorship lies in the personal relationships and friendships that I have developed with my sponsors over the years. It is never a flash in the pan scenario; my sponsors are with me for the long run, anything between four to five years.” “Sponsorship as a two way street,” continues Gavin and points out that there are spin-offs for both parties who can benefit from business networking.“For me it is not about just taking; I also have to give back to my sponsors and I therefore fully support the SKF brand and use SKF products such as greases in my workshop.”

Manager of SKF South Africa’s Automotive Division (VSM), Gary Czapski, has been instrumental in numerous SKF motor racing sponsorships over the past few years, and he shares Gavin’s belief that sponsorship is much more than financial and product support. “You can’t just throw money at the customer and consider the sponsorship done and dusted. For a sponsorship to be sustainable and successful, we stand 100% behind our customer, offering the best technical advice and specialised service to back our products.”
   
SKF is certainly no new-comer to the world of motor racing sponsorships. The company’s international racing solutions include the longest running technical partnership (65 years) in the history of motor racing in the sport of Formula One with Scuderia Ferrari; the majority of the F1 cars in the 2013 Formula One seasons are also equipped with SKF wheel bearings. SKF also sponsors NASCAR in the USA.

On the local scene, SKF has been an active sponsor of both track (Auby Boyz) and off-road (Nissan off road championships) motor racing. “We enjoy a successful five year partnership with the Auby Boyz who dominated the Wesbank Modified Championship scene for many years. In 2010 SKF also started sponsoring Toyota Motorsport, a decision, says Gary which followed out of a mutually beneficial thirteen year relationship with Hallspeed and Nissan Motorsport. “We have been working with Toyota Motorsport Team Principal, Glyn Hall, for some fifteen years now.”

“And now we are involved in quarter mile drag racing and although I am passionate about all the disciplines of motor racing, the quarter mile sprint has a special attraction because it is so accessible to the public who can interact with the cars and the drivers,” explains Gary. Gavin, otherwise known as the king of the quarter mile on four wheels in South Africa, has to defend both titles this season and he opened his 2013 account with a successful meet at the first event of the season held at Tarlton Raceway near Krugersdorp on 21st March 2013, which as always drew the support of thousands of drag racing enthusiasts. Although the first sponsorship year is a learning curve for both parties, Gavin and Gary are confident that it is going to be a winning relationship and look forward to a successful 2013 season.    /Ends