RANGERS RACING TOWARDS MORE CHAMPIONSHIP SUCCESS
 After
claiming a place in this year’s UEFA Cup Final, leading
Scottish Premier League side Rangers now have their sights
set on major success in an entirely new sport - Superleague
Formula.
The Glasgow club’s entry into the new motor racing
championship that features the colours of the world’s
leading football clubs was unveiled today by members of the
coaching and first team staff at Ibrox Stadium.
With 51 titles already to their credit (a world record),
Rangers have now reached their first European final since
1972 - beating Italian club Fiorentina 4-2 on penalties last
Thursday - and The Light Blues will now play Russian side
Zenit St Petersburg in the UEFA Cup Final in Manchester on
May 14.
In what will be a huge seven days for the Club, today’s
launch for the media will be followed by an unveiling of the
car for the supporters at Ibrox Stadium tomorrow night when
the Rangers fans welcome home their UEFA Cup heroes.
The 750 horsepower, V-12 powered Superleague Formula car
will be presented to the fans prior to the game against Motherwell.
Rangers Chief Executive Martin Bain commented: “We
are delighted to be the sole Scottish representative in Superleague
Formula and look forward to competing against some of the
biggest names in football in this new sporting endeavour.
“Rangers Football Club will benefit through sponsorship,
television and spectator revenues while the project will help
promote the Club throughout the world.”
Rangers Captain Barry Ferguson added: “Rangers Football
Club is built on success and we all hope our car will be in
pole position come the first race of the season at Donington
Park. We were the first team in the UK to sign up for Superleague
Formula and all the players will be following the car’s
progress throughout the racing calendar.”
Rangers striker Nacho Novo commented: “Many of the
players at the Club are huge fans of motorsport so we will
all be cheering on the Rangers Superleague Formula when the
season begins in August. Our supporters are very passionate
about their Club and I am sure they will get right behind
our new racing team as well.”
Rangers will be one of 20 leading clubs on the grid when
the championship kicks off in the UK at Donington Park near
Nottingham on August 30/31.
Their rivals will include European clubs AC Milan, PSV Eindhoven,
FC Porto, Olympiacos, Borussia Dortmund, FC Basel, RSC Anderlecht,
Sevilla and Galatasaray SK, plus Brazilian rivals Flamengo
and Corinthians.
Negotiations are currently being finalised to complete the
grid that will also include an English premier league team.
The Superleague Formula championship will kick off at Donington
Park on August 30/31, and then head to the Nurburgring (GER),
September 20/21; Zolder (BEL), October 4/5; Estoril (POR),
October 18/19; Vallelunga (ITA), November 1/2; and Jerez (Spain),
November 22/23.
Rangers also revealed their latest signing at Ibrox today
- the club’s Superleague Formula assault will be handled
by British race organisation, Team Westec.
The Corby-based team has an outstanding championship pedigree,
winning the British Formula Ford championship, the Formula
Ford Festival, the British Formula Renault Championship, twice
a championship winner of the UK “Days of Thunder”
Stock Car Series, and this year claiming the Spanish Formula
3 Cup title.
“We are really thrilled to be looking after Rangers,”
Team West-Tec’s Gavin Wills said.
“Where we are based in Corby actually has a enormous
Scottish heritage. Thousands of Scots moved into the area
when a huge steel works opened back in the 1930s.
“We are well aware of the huge responsibility we have
on our shoulders. Rangers have had a fantastic season and
we are very excited about continuing that on the race track
in 2008.”
The 750 horsepower, V12 powered Superleague Formula car is
currently undergoing development and had its first public
outing at the Donington Park round of the British Touring
Car Championship last weekend.
Rangers red, white and blue car will also be on display at
this weekend’s Scottish Motor Show event at Knockhill.
“On behalf of Superleague Formula, I would like to congratulate
Rangers on making the UEFA Cup final,” Superleague Formula
Competitions Director, Robin Webb said.
“I know the fans are extremely excited about welcoming
home their heroes tomorrow night - we hope the chance to see
their club colours aboard the Superleague Formula car will
give them something else to cheer about.
“The Rangers car also looks fantastic. I am sure the
fans are going to be very much looking forward to seeing and
hearing the car in action.
“The reaction we got at Donington Park on the weekend
was incredible and ever since we announce the club as a Superleague
entrant, our office has had a lot of enquires from Rangers
fans about coming down for the first race.”
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