Penrite Racing and Penrite Honda Racing have revealed their coordinating liveries for the Betr Darwin Triple Crown at a spectacular launch event in Melbourne’s CBD.

Present for the reveal were Penrite Racing sponsors, media and team executives, including Stephen Grove (Executive Chairman), Brenton Grove (CEO), David Cauchi (Team Principal), as well as drivers David Reynolds, Matt Payne and Garth Tander.

Australian Superbike rider Troy Herfoss revealed his similar bike livery, Penrite Racing also revealed their Indigenous driver’s suits which emulate the designs on their cars.

In collaboration with team partner Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS), the livery was inspired by the artwork of Lorraine Kabbindi White, a former educator at MITS.

With the assistance of MITS Students, car #19 was unveiled by Stephen Grove and Matt Payne, and car #26 by David Reynolds and Katrina Penfold (Director of MITS).

The Supercars design incorporated two pieces of artwork provided by Lorraine. The first is called Modjarrki – Freshwater Crocodile, and the second is Ankung Kunred – Wild Honey Country.

Ankung Kunred – Wild Honey Country depicts Lorraine’s homeland, the Mok clan’s estate – Ankung Kunred, which extends over the upper catchment of the Liverpool River.

Mok country, this country there is a big body of water. The river splits into many tributaries and cuts its way through to Djamarr (scared site). The honey-dreaming sites run along this river. This is where the honey dreamings have placed themselves associated with water.

The artist has painted an aerial view of her country, the yellow represents the honey-dreaming sites along the river, and the white represents the bees.

Modjarrki – Freshwater Crocodile
Modjarrki is a long-nosed crocodile that doesn’t bite people. They are seen in many places near flowling water high in the stone country and lying in the sun on logs, sand, rocks, or banks of creeks or rivers.

ABOUT MITS

MITS a Year 7- 8 transition school in Wurundjeri Country that supports Indigenous students from remote and regional communities in the NT and Victoria to live and study in Melbourne.

The team have set up an auction site with items including David Reynold’s and Matt Payne’s Darwin round suits, hot laps, a corporate jet experience and more to help exceed the $44,000 raised by the team in 2022, which provided funding for three student scholarships.

Team Principal, David Cauchi

“It is fantastic to launch this livery among our partners, the Grove family and MITS. We are supporting MITS again this year and to see Lorraine’s artwork on our Penrite Mustangs is something quite special. I think they look awesome, and I am looking forward to seeing them racing at Hidden Valley.”

Car #26 Penrite Racing Driver, David Reynolds

“It is fantastic that the team are working with MITS again, and to have the liveries launched in this way is something special. I think they look amazing, and our suits match the cars this year as well as Troy Herfoss’s bike, so it is a lovely way to showcase the beautiful artwork created by Lorraine and celebrate the Indigenous culture.”

Car #19 Penrite Racing Driver, Matt Payne

“I think they look absolutely awesome especially in this setting [at the launch] with the art projected on the walls and floor. I am excited to get to Darwin for the Triple Crown and do the team and MITS proud on track. It is great what the team and Penrite Honda Racing are doing to support MITS, they do such awesome work and hopefully we can raise some money for them through the auction.”

Edward Tudor, CEO of MITS

“The partnership with Grove/Penrite Racing is one which we are very proud of here at MITS and we are delighted to be partnering with them again in 2023.

“This is now the second year that Penrite/Grove have partnered with MITS, after an enormously successful campaign in 2022, which raised an incredible $40,000 for our school. To put this into perspective, this supports three young students to attend our school and boarding program for a year.

“The 2023 car and bike livery look incredible once again. It is a really special way to celebrate our students’ unique cultures, bringing Indigenous and non-Indigenous people together to learn more about each other.

“The relationship with Penrite/Grove now goes well beyond the Darwin Triple Crown Indigenous Round, and that is what is so meaningful to us at MITS. Their support is generous and genuine – through fundraising, speaking to our students, showcasing and celebrating their cultures and welcoming them into their headquarters.

“We look forward to another successful 2023 and can’t wait to join Dave, Matt, Troy and the team up in Darwin this year!”