VP Racing Fuels official racing fuel partner for Speedgroup
VP Racing Fuels and Speedgroup are proud to announce that they have closed a deal that makes VP Racing Fuels the official racing fuel partner for Speedgroup for the next three years. This deal means a major expansion of the cooperation that started when VP Racing Fuels joined the Speedgroup contingency program in early 2017. “When we met last year we discussed about how we could do something to try and raise the awareness of the VP brand. Becoming the official fuel of Speedgroup is a great opportunity for everyone involved,” said Marc Wesler, VP Racing Fuels’ International Sales Manager.
Soon after VP Racing Fuels joined the 2017 Speedgroup contingency program, it was clear that both parties wanted to expand their cooperation. This intention was made concrete in signing a three year deal that makes VP Racing Fuels the official fuel partner for Speedgroup. This means that VP will not only be a contingency partner, but Speedgroup and VP will also work together at a number of race and non-race events. “VP and Speedgroup have always had a great relationship and we discussed about how we could do something to try and raise the awareness of the VP brand. Becoming the official racing fuel partner of Speedgroup is a great opportunity for everyone involved. We are looking forward to the increased opportunities and being a part of the Speedgroup and EDRS programs in the future,” said Marc Wesler, International Sales Manager of VP Racing Fuels.
For Speedgroup, a private shareholders’ company who administer drag racing series and championships and are also owned by racers, it comes naturally to work closely with suppliers that are important to the sport. CEO Åsa Kinnemar stress the importance of this increased cooperation. “There is a lot we can do for suppliers to connect closer with the sport,” she said. “We communicate with active race teams and event organisers as part of our everyday operation. In addition we are present at a number of events each year, both races and exhibitions. Events that can be great opportunities for VP Racing Fuels to inform about their products and distribution network. I’m sure that getting important suppliers more officially involved in the drag racing sport in the regions we operate, benefit all parties. VP Racing Fuels are a great example of a company which were initially high on our wish list to work with and here we are a few years later. It is all looking good and we look forward to the beginning of the race season 2018.”
There is a major role in this partnership for the VP Racing Fuels distributors in Sweden, Norway and Finland. “We are incredibly pleased to be part of this VP Racing Fuels program. We will work with the service and availability of our customers around Sweden with deliveries to the workshops or directly to the racecourses. We develop the concept with several retailers around Sweden for the best service and support for our customers. VP Racing Fuels have fuel that fits most of the applications on the market. We want to adapt our business to the market we have not, as it has been the opposite. We will be at a number of events in 2018 as well as at racecourses with VP Racing Fuels products to give the best service for our customers. We are so very much looking forward to the 2018 season,” said Bengt Ljungdahl, owner of Ljundahl Racing, VP Racing Fuels distributor in Sweden and reigning FIA European Pro Stock champion.
JAMS AB are one of the oldest authorized VP Racing Fuels distributors in Europe. Jimmy Karlsson, on behalf of JAMS AB, VP dealer in Sweden since the mid ’90s: “We are a proud partner of VP Racing Fuels, as we did all practical dyno testing for them in the time when leaded fuels were banned in Sweden and we were forced to switch to unleaded fuel that we are still using today. JAMS AB are deeply involved with several engine builders and race teams, big and small, as we help them with tuning with VP Racing Fuels. We also support the tech crew with the right tools and specs for fuel testing. We are very pleased with this cooperation with Speedgroup and the EDRS racing series as it is a great opportunity for VP Racing Fuels dealers. We are looking forward to a good racing year. People can contact us for deliveries or go directly to VP Racing Fuels dealers around Europe.”
Fannrem Motorverksted are the authorized distributors of VP Racing Fuels in Norway. Odd Erik Fossum on behalf of Fannrem Motorverksted (and together with Trine Fossum a dedicated drag racer himself): “We have supplied VP fuels to motorsport here in Norway since back in the year 2000. Our main business is engine-building and rebuilding and our speedshop. We have our own SuperFlow engine dyno were we run between 25 to 30 engines a year. There we see how important protection is and how much VP Racing Fuels do for the engines. Fannrem Motorverksted are close to the drag racing as we have our own racing team where the products, engines and fuels are tested at the track too. We always have lots of VP fuels in stock, both leaded and unleaded. The cooperation with Speedgroup and the EDRS racing series is an impressive thing to help us to get this going.”
Specialty Engineering in Helsinki are one of the oldest VP Racing Fuels dealers in Europe and owner Simo Patoharju doesn’t need any further introduction as he has a long history in the sport of drag racing as a crew chief in the Top Methanol and Top Fuel ranks. “We have served racers with racing fuel from VP for 30 years. I’m very pleased with the current VP involvement in European drag racing with the EDRS contingency program. Specialty Engineering have a contingency program for VP fuel users in the Finnish Championship series as well. Customers can contact us for all their fuel needs in Finland and Estonia.”
VP Racing Fuels were founded in 1975, are headquartered in San Antonio (Texas), have close to 200 employees nationwide with blend facilities in Newark (Delaware) and Terre Haute (Indiana) along with sales offices in Commerce (Georgia) and Temecula (California). VP Racing Fuels are a global company with multiple distributors across Europe.
“VP Racing Fuels are the world leader in race fuel technology. VP currently produce, package and distribute world class race fuel. VP have fuelled all forms of motorsports on land, sea and air since 1975. Along with race fuel, VP also produce a line of performance chemicals, known as VP Madditives and VP Performance Lubricants,” said Marc Wesler, International Sales Manager of VP Racing Fuels.
But what makes VP Racing Fuels products so special? “VP Racing Fuels use only high end base stocks and a proprietary blend of components. Every gallon we blend is intended to win a race,” said Wesler, who is an avid drag racer and overall motorsports enthusiast himself. “It’s important to remember that not all race fuels are created equal. VP Racing Fuels currently blend over 70 different types of fuels to ensure that each competitor is getting the exact fuel for optimum performance from their application. After all, ‘our passion is your performance’.”
Although VP Racing Fuels first made a name for itself in the drag racing community, over the last two decades VP has become a household name in all forms of motorsports. “We have a saying at VP, ‘if it’s fast, we’re in it’,” said Wesler. VP Racing Fuels are currently associated with more than 60 series or sanctioning bodies as either the official fuel or a subsidiary partner!
VP Racing Fuels joined the Speedgroup contingency program last season. “Speedgroup is an important part of growing the VP brand, not only across Europe as part of the EDRS, but also globally. With the contingency program we want to reinforce our commitment to both the Speedgroup program and the EDRS participants.”
Drag racing and contingency programs play a major role in VP’s marketing strategy. “It’s important that as a company we stay loyal to the people that started with VP, and that’s the grass roots drag race competitor. Over 43+ years in business we have found growth in multiple forms of motorsports and we are happy to be associated with all forms of motorsports but it’s important to remember where it all started and that’s with the entry level drag racing competitor.”
More information about VP Racing Fuels and their distributors in Sweden, Norway and Finland
Ljungdahl Racing
Mörtviksvägen 84
13463 Ingarö
Sweden
bengt@ljungdahlracing.com
Jams AB
Lunda 121
747 91 Alunda
Sweden
Phone +46 70 589 31 50
jams@uppland.net
Fannrem Motorverksted
Hemnevegen 334
N-7320 Fannrem
Norway
Phone: +47 72 48 24 04
Fax: +47 72 48 05 45
SCE Engineering Oy
Jokisuuntie 3
FIN-00560 Helsinki
Finland
tel +358-440-705 835
e-mail: simo.patoharju@speceng.fi
Website: https://www.vpracingfuels.com/
For all information about Speedgroup’s contingency program:
https://www.dragracingeurope.eu/edrs/contingency-program/