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Tony Cochrane re-elected chairman V8SC

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Founding V8 Supercars Australia Chairman Tony Cochrane has been unanimously returned to the position for the immediate future following a vote by the 17 V8 Supercar Championship Series teams on the Gold Coast last thursday.

Mr Cochrane has overseen the rapid growth of V8 Supercars in the past decade as the dealmaker and the public face of the sport. He was intending to step down at the end of his existing three-year term this year in favour of an independent Chairperson.

Instead the Touring Car Entrants Group (TEGA), made up of the 17 Championship Series teams, voted unanimously to retain Mr Cochrane as Chairman until a suitable independent Chair is found, recognising the passion and vision Mr Cochrane holds for the sport.

The decision was part of the TEGA annual general meeting which also elected its own five-man board that will ultimately represent the teams on a single board that governs all of the affairs of V8 Supercars Australia.

Tim Edwards from Ford Performance Racing, Ross Stone of Stone Brothers Racing, Larry Perkins owner of Jack Daniel’s Racing and Paul Morris of Team Sirromet were elected by the teams to represent their 75 per cent shareholding in V8 Supercars Australia.

“These are all men with many years of experience in the sport,” V8 Supercars Australia Chief Executive Officer Wayne Cattach said following today’s AGM.

“These newly elected board members have been entrusted with helping shape the immediate future of a sport that has grown exponentially in the last decade.

“They take on great responsibility along with the other representatives of the board from SEL in building on current growth, future direction, strategy and planning for the long-term.”

The appointments join independent Chairman and distinguished South Australian businessman Roger Cook to form the team’s representatives on the V8 Supercars Australia board that is expected to be finalised in the New Year as part of an ongoing amalgamation process.

The TEGA board will initially be responsible for the implementation of a new Team’s Licence Agreement, a document that governs participation in the sport, and assisting the restructure of TEGA and V8 Supercars Australia into a single board.