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Autotech Group is delighted to renew its sponsorship of the NAPA Racing UK team ahead of the 2024 British Touring Car Championship season.
Following a record-breaking season for NAPA Racing UK last year, which saw a series of highlights including 16 wins and 32 podium appearances, the Autotech Group logo will once again adorn the NAPA Racing UK team’s cars.
Empowering the next generation
Underpinning Autotech Group’s sponsorship of the team in 2023 was a national competition for automotive students to experience a day working as a race mechanic at championship level to fuel the automotive ambition of young talent.
Over 200 students entered last year and for 2024 Autotech Group is reigniting the competition, with 20 spaces available to students studying towards, or recently qualified with, an automotive qualification at a UK College.
At each race event, starting with the first round of the season at Donington Park on the 27th and 28th April, two students will get the chance to join the NAPA’s race mechanics on practice days* and get up close to the cars that made their successful debuts on the UK race scene in 2022, including those driven by super team combination Dan Cammish and Ash Sutton.
“The British Touring Car Championship is one of the best-loved, most illustrious motor racing championships in the world, captivating millions of fans every year,” comments Simon King, CEO of Autotech Group. “We are delighted to continue our support of the NAPA Racing UK team who enjoyed a highly successful season last year.”
Our Autotech Academy division’s paid internship initiative is already creating a stream of much-needed talent for the automotive aftermarket. Through our competition, we are demonstrating the potential career paths within the sector and helping to sustain the passion automotive students have for the motor industry.”
Strengthening industry connections
Adam McNaney, NAPA Group Marketing Manager, comments: “Autotech Group represents one of the cornerstones of the automotive industry and I’m delighted that we’ve extended the partnership again this year. As key partners, their initiatives in the paddock last year helped raise the profile of opportunities in motorsport to a growing younger audience and as NAPA Racing UK, we’re proud to be aligned with such a fantastic programme.
Autotech Group’s competition is open to any student who is currently studying for, or who has qualified in the last three years with, a Level 3 automotive qualification. To be in with a chance of winning this exclusive experience, students can now submit their entries via the Autotech Academy website.
Past winners have spoken about their experience of spending the day with the teams through the competition: Tori-Leigh Adams: “I learnt so many things and managed to expand so much of the knowledge I already had when it comes to race cars and how the teams operate. This opportunity did not only benefit my light vehicle side of the automotive industry, but it also gave me a great insight into the motorsport side.”
Bradley Renouf, who later went on to take an internship through Autotech Academy, comments: "The day from start to finish was such an amazing experience. Everyone was really friendly and so supportive (especially when answering any questions, I had). I learnt how a professional team works in a challenging environment. I was able to talk to the actual mechanics on how their systems work, and why everything needs to be exactly as it is. I found it so inspiring and as a result, also gained an internship!”
* The practice day will fall on either the Thursday or the Friday ahead of the actual race event.