Triple Eight confirms new ownership, farewells Dane
Earl Evans, Steve Blackmore purchase stake in Triple Eight
Evans, Blackmore on Triple Eight board, effective immediately
Jessica Dane to step back from role as shareholder, board member
Triple Eight Race Engineering has confirmed a strategic new ownership change, with Earl Evans and Steve Blackmore purchasing Jessica Dane’s 30 percent share of the team.
Long-time motorsport sponsors, Evans and Blackmore currently hold the CEO roles of their respective businesses, Shaw and Partners Financial Services and Southern Cross Truck Rentals.
Amid the new ownership, Tony Quinn retains his 40 percent equity stake in the team, Jamie Whincup will remain Managing Director and Team Principal, and Roland Dane will continue as non-executive chairman.
Supercars Hall of Famer and seven-time champion Whincup, who bought into the business in 2018, will also retain his 30 percent ownership in the team.
"I’m thrilled to announce these exciting strategic changes as it prepares Triple Eight for the next phase of growth,” four-time Bathurst winner Whincup said.
"Firstly, we can’t ignore Jess’ enormous contribution to the team over her incredible tenure. She has been an invaluable member of the Triple Eight family since day dot working in all facets of the business.
"We understand Jess' commitment to her career aspirations in the US, and we know she will always remain connected to the foundations her father RD built.
"In saying that, we are thrilled to welcome Earl and Steve to our shareholder group. Their wealth of business experience will enhance our team and support our continued evolution, strengthening our current programs and engaging new opportunities.
"Their passion and expertise align perfectly with our vision for the future, and I'm excited to see where we can take it.”
Jessica Dane’s 15 years with the team included positions in sub-assembly, Team Coordinator, Communications Manager and Team Manager. She became a co-owner of the team in 2015.
Dane relocated to the United States at the end of 2023, and recently commenced the position of Motorsports Integration Manager at General Motors.
She was with the team at the season-opening Thrifty Bathurst 500, joining Will Brown and Broc Feeney on the podium as the team celebrated a double podium.
"This has certainly been one of the most difficult decisions of my life. “I’m incredibly proud of what Triple Eight has achieved over the years and honoured to have been able to play a small part along the way,” she said.
"However, I know it’s the right decision. While I’ve lived in the US, I’ve hated that I can only give a fraction of my time, energy and capacity to a team that means so very much to me.
“I am delighted that two such passionate people in Earl and Steve are joining Triple Eight… I am very grateful to them for this opportunity to hand 30 percent of Triple Eight over to people who I know in my gut want the best for the sport."
Evans said: "I was looking for an equity stake in a Supercars team and a business of large scale and size that excelled outside of Supercars, in this case Triple Eight’s engineering and manufacturing entity.
"Obviously, the team’s success was an added attraction, and there’s certainly a challenge ahead to maintain that success, but at the end of the day it was a perfect fit for me.
“I had a taste of Supercars as a sponsor over the past couple of years, and the next logical step was to take an equity position and to take on ownership, that’s why I was looking around in the sport for an opportunity and that’s when this presented itself.
“Our job will be to sit on the board, and my role will be to support the current structure that’s been wildly successful in whatever way I can, whether that be in the commercial space, my business experience or other ways."
Blackmore added: "Having owned multiple companies over the past 20 years, the prospect of buying into an established and successful business in Triple Eight Race Engineering was really exciting.
“Having had a passion for motorsport that goes back to my childhood, in recent years I had been involved as a personal sponsor of athletes in the sport and teams through my numerous businesses, which fuelled my desire to purchase an equity stake in a team.
“I had been looking for an opportunity to transition from sponsor to investor in the sport and the opportunity at Triple Eight was both a perfect opportunity and fit.
"Triple Eight is without peer in the sport in my opinion and it has a proven track record of delivering results that are consistently the best in motorsports in Australia.”
Red Bull Ampol Racing drivers Brown and Feeney are first and second in the championship, and Triple Eight first in the teams’ standings, heading to Sydney on July 19-21.
