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The Yatala-based team today announced the deal and unveiled the #4 Chevrolet Camaro in its SP Tools livery in which it will be piloted by Cameron Hill and co-driver Cameron Crick at the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000.
The brand has a long history with the Stone family, harking back to the days of Shane van Gisbergen driving Falcons for Stone Brothers Racing more than a decade ago.
MSR also moved to obtain the #4 this year in a nod to the multi-time championship-winning team run by Matt Stone’s father Jim and uncle Ross.
In another blast from the past, today’s announcement proclaims, “In true SP Tools style, it was also announced that the programme will include SP Tools grid girls, bringing beauty back to Supercars.”
Grid girls were banned in the World Endurance Championship in 2015 before Formula 1 moved to ‘grid kids’ in 2018.
By then, Adelaide 500 organisers had already announced an end to the tradition of grid girls and, while Supercars itself has never announced a formal ban, the practice soon fell out of favour anyway.
Promo girls representing Tickford Racing sponsor Monster Energy remain a common sight in the paddock – not necessarily on the grid – but that has largely been the extent of such activations.
SP Tools’ naming rights deal with MSR, of which it is a foundation partner, also includes Hill’s car the Vailo Adelaide 500 season finale.
The new look was revealed to team partners this afternoon.
Matt Stone said, “It’s good to have an event for all of our local partners to come into the workshop to celebrate the return of SP Tools to naming rights.
“I think the Car #4 livery looks great and I can’t wait to see it on the Supercar closer to Sandown.
“SP Tools are one of our founding partners and for them to jump onboard in a year which marks 20 years since SBR’s dominant era and to be on the iconic Car #4 is really fitting.
“We’re looking forward to maximising results over the enduro season.”
SP Tools CEO Tom Tucker remarked, “We are back! After many years as a naming rights sponsor with the Stone family, we think the timing is perfect to put the SP Tools brand back on the side of a Matt Stone Racing Camaro.
“We look forward to what MSR and Cam Hill can achieve as the rest of the year unfolds.
“The car looks great and we already know it’s fast. It’s now just a matter of time before Cam Hill and Cam Crick are standing on the podium.
“Let’s hope they can do that carrying the SP Tools brand.”
Crick’s call-up as Hill’s co-driver was confirmed earlier this week, after the Nick Percat/Dylan O’Keeffe duo in Car #10 was announced at last weekend’s Darwin Triple Crown.
