JAXQuickfit On Track With Grant Denyer

SEVEN Network weather presenter, Grant Denyer, has signed up for the 2006 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series, as lead driver in a three-car team run by Australian motorsport legend, Dick Johnson.

The 28-year-old Sydneysider takes on the V8 Supercar ‘development’ series as a championship favourite and will juggle his racing commitments with Dick Johnson Racing between his fulltime role on Seven’s morning Sunrise programme and his appearance as a contestant on the popular series, Dancing with the Stars.

According to Glyn Parry, marketing manager of the 72-store JAXQuickfit Tyres chain, Denyer is the perfect match for the company.

“We recognise Grant’s popularity in his role as an emerging TV personality and we also see his potential for great success on the race track, based on his results with Dick Johnson Racing in 2005.

“We’re very excited to be involved with his motorsport campaign again this year because of that potential, and we believe it will help lift awareness of who we are and what we do, particularly with a younger audience.

”JAXQuickfit Tyres is effectively a new brand in the market place, following the merger last year between JAX and Quickfit, and like Grant, we are focussed on being at the front of the pack,” Parry says.

This will be Denyer’s second year with DJR, and he will again be driving his #81 Ford V8. In 2005, he finished 10th in the series and collected both the Motor Sport Personality of the Year at the 2005 Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) Motor Sport Awards, and the Mike Kable ‘Rookie of the Year’ Award at the annual V8 Supercar awards presentation, in his first year in V8 Supercars.

“I’m delighted to be continuing my relationship with DJR and with JAXQuickfit Tyres,” Denyer says.

“We initially joined forces when the company was still known as JAX Tyres and I was competing in the V8 BRutes series in 2003. It was a great connection. Then last year, they understood my dream to move into V8 Supercars and they came with me.

“In 2006, I’m planning on repaying the faith that JAXQuickfit has in me with plenty of exposure and good results.”

Denyer discovered the delights of driving at the age of seven on the family farm in country NSW, and yearned to be a racing driver.

At 15 he raced go-karts. His resume includes wins at several regional races, a top 10 start in the Australian National Class titles, pole for the NSW State titles and the crown for the NSW Go-Kart Country Classic Championship.

He started work in the media at PRIME TV in Wagga Wagga before moving to Network TEN and a role as pit reporter for the V8 Supercars TV coverage.

While with Network TEN, Denyer’s first ever touring car race was in the GTP 3-hour at Mt Panorama in a Mazda 626. He finished second in his class, behind V8 Supercar stars Greg Murphy and Steven Richards.

In 2006 Denyer will be backed up in the team by DJR first-timers, Andrew Thompson and Marcus La Delle. The first round for the three will be in Adelaide at the Clipsal 500 in conjunction with the V8 Supercar Championship Series, from March 23–25.

March 2006