TRIPLE Eight Race Engineering has revealed the special Holden-themed livery it will run at this weekend’s VALO Adelaide 500 and confirmed that Shane van Gisbergen will adopt the champion’s #1 for the weekend.
The 2022 season finale marks the final appearance for the Holden brand in the Repco Supercars Championship, having been present for all but one of the championship races held since the first running of the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1960.
Triple Eight revealed its tribute livery on Tuesday evening in Adelaide in front of a large contingent of Holden owners and trade customers at Peter Page General Motors Trade Parts.
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Devised by former Holden designer Peter Hughes, the livery features logos and badges from across the marque’s history on an all-white background.
“The idea of an all-white livery with a subtle watermark wasn’t unheard of within Triple Eight, with Tom (Wilson, Triple Eight Commercial Director) and I floating the idea in the past with no luck on more than one occasion, so when the opportunity to execute a ‘Final Triple Eight Holden’ livery presented itself we knew this theme would work perfectly as a truly unique tribute,” Hughes said.
“The concept allowed us to celebrate Holden in a very cool and respectful way, impregnating the whole car with Holden logos and badges from its illustrious history, without taking away or competing with our current partners.
“The overall feel is a livery that is Triple Eight DNA through and through, but also with a tasteful extra twist celebrating Holden.
“I want to extend a huge thankyou to the primary sponsors; Red Bull, Ampol and all the others, for letting us compromise their brand guidelines just a little to help celebrate an Australian icon. I hope the fans enjoy and embrace the livery and the celebrations.”
van Gisbergen to use #1 in Adelaide
Shane van Gisbergen will also switch his signature #97 for the champion’s #1 for the Adelaide finale.
He first flagged the possibility of the change in a poll on Instagram last week and cites the move as a “thank you” to his Triple Eight team.
“I think the Holden tribute livery looks awesome – everyone that has been involved in the design has done a fantastic job,” van Gisbergen said.
“I’ve also decided to run #1 on my car for the final round of the season. We’re in a lucky position with the championship wrapped up that we can do something cool like this.
“It’s a thank you to the entire team because I know they’ve always loved running the #1 and have truly earnt it this year.
“It also suits with the last race for Holden running the #1 on the side of the car.
“I’ve got memories of Jamie (Whincup) and Skaifey (Mark Skaife) running the #1 at the start of the season and winning on the streets of Adelaide, and it was the manufacturing home of Holden, so hopefully it will be a meaningful tribute to the many employees past and present.
“It would be great to win the last race for sure, but if it can’t be me, hopefully it’s another Holden.”
It marks the first time the #1 has appeared on the Repco Supercars Championship grid since the 2018 Newcastle 500, the last race of Jamie Whincup’s reign following his 2017 title victory.
Van Gisbergen elected to keep using #97 rather than adopt the champion’s #1 following his title victories in both 2016 and 2021, while Scott McLaughlin continued using Dick Johnson’s famous #17 during his hat-trick of title wins in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
The #1 has only briefly appeared previously on van Gisbergen’s car amid the celebrations of his maiden title victory in 2016 and will be the fifth number that he has used across his Supercars career.
He used the #021 in his rookie half-season with Team Kiwi Racing in 2007 before driving Stone Brothers Racing’s #9 entry from 2008 to 2012.
Van Gisbergen was able to start using his preferred #97 when he moved to TEKNO Autosports in 2013 and brought it with him to Triple Eight in 2016.
He has used the #97 in all but one of his races in Red Bull colours, the exception being last year’s Repco Bathurst 1000 where he and Garth Tander ran the #888 in honour of Roland Dane’s final race as the managing director of Triple Eight.
