CoolDrive Auto Parts, the Blanchard family business that underpins its Supercars team, has announced an expansion of its motorsport interests.

That’s come in the form of a new partnership with Racer Industries, through which the latter’s products will be available to CoolDrive customers in-store and online before the company fully moves into the CoolDrive fold.

“We are excited to welcome the Racer Industries business to CoolDrive,” said CoolDrive CEO John Blanchard.

“Our passion for performance and racing products is demonstrated through our CoolDrive Racing Supercar team, but with Racer joining CoolDrive, we are able to take this to a whole new level and provide a unique offer to our existing customer base and improved service to Racer’s customer base.

“CoolDrive has been expanding its performance product offering in recent years, and this move allows us to significantly expand our performance product range while adding the racing specific offering to complement it.”

Racer Industries will continue as a standalone entity under the CoolDrive umbrella, with its co-founder and managing director Ryan McLeod staying on.

“After starting Racer in 2005 with Paul Morris, this new partnership with CoolDrive offers us the opportunity to leverage off CoolDrive’s resources to really grow the Racer business to new heights,” McLeod said.

“Using CoolDrive’s extensive and renowned national trade and distribution network, we will be able to offer all trade customers direct access to our range of racing products.

“This is an industry first in Australia and is big news for our customers and suppliers.

“We see huge potential for Racer in the coming years especially in the Trade industry where CoolDrive are so well known to provide a service on a National level not many others can replicate.”

Morris added, “The Blanchard family are the people to drive Racer Industries into the future, we have parallel family and business values.

“I’m proud of what Ryan has achieved with the business so far, his knowledge of the racing industry, combining with the CoolDrive operation is the right move for the business and our customers.”

The CoolDrive Ford Mustang, driven by Tim Slade, will be back in action this weekend for Round 4 of the Repco Supercars Championship at The Bend Motorsport Park.