By Matthew Agius

Alan Gurr has been signed to drive the second Britek Motorsport Ford Falcon, alongside team owner Jason Bright in 2007,♍ after it was today confirmed that a brand new sponsor, IRWIN Industrial Tools, will be introduced to the V8 Supercar Series through the Dandenong South team.

Gurr, a former crew member of Paul Morris Motorsports will drive the #26 Industrial Tools Falcon in 2007. After competing in selected events of the 2006 series with the Holden Young Lions program, and as a former round winner of the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series, Gurr is anticipating an exciting fu♑ll-time initiation to the premier class of Australian motor sport.

"This isꦐ a 🅠great opportunity to join a very professional team in the V8 Supercar Championship Series," said Gurr.

"I'm looking forward to building the relatiﷺonship with♒ IRWIN and making sure that they are represented well on and off the track.

"Joining forces not only with Britek, but also IRWIN and driving a Ford for the first time, have me counting down the days until the first race in Adelaidಞe.

"Having a team owner aඣnd teammate like Jason Bright is going to be a major bonus for me on the track. He's scored race wins and pole positions in the biggest races; I'll take in all that experience to improve my own performance."

A member of the Newell Rubbermaid Group, this will be IRWIN's first foray into top level Australian motorsport, after sponsoring Rousဣh Racing in the American NASCAR series.

A company spokesman, Nick Pritchard, said that the move to enter V8 Supercars is one that has been carefully calculated to reach the one of the many demographics 🐟that the series appeals to. Professional tradesmen and handymen who follow the championship are the tool manufacturer's target audience a🦄nd through Britek Motorsport, Pritchard is confident that IRWIN's Australian growth will be aided.

"The success for the IR🧸WIN brand through NASCAR racing made us have a close look at the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series," said Nick Pritchard of IRWIN.

"I🌜n terms of the market we play in, V8 Supercars f🌞it nicely. The popularity of V8 Supercars amongst professional tradesmen and handymen is unmatched.

"The opportunity to partner with a strong Ford outfit in Britek Motorsport is an opportunity we belie♚ve will be outstanღding for the growth of the IRWIN brand in Australia."

With the team'🌄s season launch only a few weekཧs away, Team Principal and lead driver Jason Bright welcomed the team to V8 Supercars and Britek Motorsport.

"This announcement ticks🐻 all the boxes for Britek Motorsport," said Jason Brigh𝓰t.

"IRWIN is a tot⭕ally new name to V8 Supercars and an enthusiastic partner that wants success on and off the track."

"It shows that non-traditional motor sports sponsors are looking at V8 Sup🌸ercars and importantly Britek Motorsport as an ideal way to build their brand.

"In terms ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚof the actual racing line-up, we have the🌃 right mix of experience and youth.

"It's been a busy time since I joined the team as a driver in December, but n🐎ow with this announcement out of the way we can concentrate on the job of preparing for the opening race in Adelaide in just over a month's time."

Both the #25 Fujitsu Racing BFII Falcon that Bright will drive in 2007,🙈 and the new IRWIN sponsored machine of Gurr, will be officially unveiled at a presentation early꧑ next month. Both cars will compete at the season opening Clipsal 500 Adelaide, which starts on the shortened version of the old Formula One track on March 1st.