Striking new livery for Frosty's 21st season
Supercars
06 Feb
Team 18 reveals new-look DEWALT Camaro
Mark Winterbottom enters 21st Supercars season
'Frosty' ended victory drought in Darwin last June
Mark Winterbottom’s 21st Supercars season will come with a new-look DEWALT Camaro, with Team 18 revealing the veteran’s new-look ride for 2024.
Winterbottom, the 2015 Supercars champion and 2013 Bathurst winner, heads into a sixth season with Charlie Schwerkolt’s team this year.
The Sydney-born driver debuted full-time in 2004 with Mark Larkham's team, and became just the third driver to record 600 starts during 2023.
DEWALT, the world’s largest power tool company and flagship brand of Stanley Black and Decker, returns on Winterbottom's car, and fittingly celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.
For 2024, the DEWALT livery has been inverted to feature a matte-black base and glossy yellow styling, with a commemorative 100th anniversary logo on the roof.
The new look was brought to life by designer Nick Moss, Team 18’s Livery Technician and Visual Manager Mitch Croke, PPG paint and Metamark.
The #18 DEWALT Racing Camaro will also carry backing from Hino, Fuchs Lubricants, Industrial Batteries Australia, Seiko, East Coast Car Rentals, Super Spill Solutions, Barry Bourke Motors, Manitou, Taubmans, AC Delco, Waverley Forklifts, Credence Insurance, Ozwide Joinery, D2N Technology Solutions, Moto National, Style Print, Mechanix Wear, The Cover Shop, Alpinestars, Authentic Collectables, Southern Impact, Air & Allied Sales, Bowden’s Own Premium Car Care Products, Cub Cadet, Wash It Australia, Tree Clean Up Services, and JAX Tyres & Auto.
It comes after Team 18 this week announced a rejigged engineering line-up, with Winterbottom to be engineered by Som Sharma. The team also took the covers off star recruit David Reynolds’ #20 TRADIE Beer Camaro.
"The DEWALT Camaro looks fantastic. Matte black is one of my favourite looking race cars and to have it is something I'm very proud of. If it's fast and looks like that, I'm going to be a very happy person,” said Winterbottom, who snapped a seven-year winless streak in Darwin last June.
“It's fantastic to celebrate such a powerful and strong brand and obviously a hundred year anniversary for DEWALT is an incredible achievement so I always try and represent it as well and proud and as best I can.
"For them, they win off track, and for me, I have to win on track to try and keep up so the pressure is on. It’s important to me to represent this fantastic brand in the way it deserves and that's up the front.
“I think this is the biggest change Team 18 has had in the whole time I've been here. It's been a massive off season, our engineering department has had a big overhaul and we've got a lot of depth, which is really good.
"I think everyone's got a point of difference and on the days we're fast, we'll all work together and on the days we're struggling, that's when a point of difference will be a positive strength. We've now also got a Technical Director and from there it stems down to hopefully deliver the right results.
“This is my sixth season at Team 18 now and I genuinely feel it's the best we've been in that department. Looking at the workshop as well, the depth we've got there has also increased so as a driver it's now time to deliver. I feel like we're in good shape and results on track will do the talking.”
Adrian Davis, Stanley Black & Decker Managing Director ANZ, said: “Stanley Black & Decker are once again delighted to be a major sponsor of the TEAM18, #18 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Mark Winterbottom.
“We are known for class leading brands and, along with continuing DEWALT as the naming rights sponsor, we will also be including CUB CADET as a secondary sponsor on the #18 Camaro.
“2024 will be one of DEWALT’s biggest years ever as we celebrate our 100th year of providing class leading tools to trade professionals. With the branding on the car and many events and promotions planned for throughout the year, we will celebrate this milestone with Team 18 and all or our retail partners.
“CUB CADET is another of our celebrated brands and is a leader in the outdoor and landscaping space. They are not new to the racing scene, but it is exciting to have all our brands in the one garage.”
“Charlie Schwerkolt, Mark Winterbottom and Team 18 are great ambassadors for our company and our brands, and they have been working tirelessly to set up the #18 Camaro for what should be an exciting year of Supercars racing.”
Schwerkolt added: "As we celebrate DEWALT's incredible 100th anniversary, we're proud to extend our partnership on Mark Winterbottom's #18 Camaro and unveil the striking new look of the DEWALT Racing Camaro for the 2024 Supercars season.
“The matte black base and glossy yellow styling embody a fresh direction, and I’m sure it will be a hit amongst the fans trackside and on TV.
"With the support of our valued partners and the dedication of our team, we're poised for an exciting season ahead. The enhancements made during the off-season signal our determination to elevate the team’s performance and achieve the results that our fans and supporters deserve.”
Winterbottom and Reynolds will test at Winton Motor Raceway on Wednesday ahead of the season-opening Thrifty Bathurst 500 on February 23-25. Tickets are on sale now.
