Motorsport: Western Springs to go by new name this summer

Auckland's iconic speedway venue Western Springs will undergo a rebrand in 2016, having partnered with global telecommunications company Vodafone.

The 87-year-old motorsport facility will be known as Vodafone Speedway this summer.
Western Springs has been aligned with WXC Communications for the past three years and with Vodafone's recent purchase of the company, this was seen as a natural and exciting progression for both parties.

"We're very excited to have partnered with a globally recognised and successful brand like Vodafone and look forward to hosting speedway at Western Springs for the next three years at least," said Springs promoter Greg Mosen.

"We are extremely grateful for the work Paul Clarkin and his team at WXC have put in to making speedway so successful of late and were delighted to be working with Vodafone moving forward."

Vodafone has a strong portfolio of existing sport and entertainment partnerships in New Zealand, including the Vodafone Warriors NRL team, several Super Rugby teams, as well as the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards and much more.

"Vodafone is committed to getting Kiwis closer to the things they love and Western Springs Speedway has been one of those things for almost a century," said Vodafone's Consumer Director, Matt Williams.

"As well as the rebranding, we are excited to be able to offer a variety of speedway ticket giveaways this summer as part of our loyalty programme Fantastic Fridays, exclusive to Vodafone customers."

Vodafone recently used motorsport to demonstrate the reliability of its Vodafone 4G network, in a high octane stunt at Leadfoot track in Hahei.

Kiwi drift car sensation Mad Mike Whiddett successfully completed a technically challenging course with his windows completely blacked out, his only vision coming through four tablets fixed to the inside of his windscreen.

A live video call across the Vodafone 4G network delivered Mad Mike's only view of the outside world, beaming in from four smart phones attached to the roof of his drift car.