V8 Supercars team Prodrive Racing Australia was recognised three times for their efforts in promotion and marketing this season.
Team PR Manager Peter Trevaskis won his first award as ‘Public Relations / Media Manager of the year’ thanks to his efforts amidst a challenging season – one that has seen Mark Winterbottom a championship contender and young-gun Chaz Mostert badly injured in a Bathurst Crash.
Trevaskis acknowledged the support of the industry media following Mostert’s incident on the Friday at Mount Panorama this year.
PRA was also recognised for their 2015 season launch: a remarkable affair that saw the team show off their new liveries aboard a Royal Australian Navy Amphibious Assault Ship at the beginning of the season winning the ‘best Activation or Stunt’ award.
The Pepsi Max / Back to the Future promotional video celebrating the anniversary of the popular film franchise – one that saw team boss Tim Edwards play the role of ‘Doc Brown’, won for ‘best feature or promotional video’.
Stefan Bartholomaeus from Speedcafe.com was voted the best Journalist for the second year running, and also won the ‘best feature story’ category for an in-depth piece that profiled Jack Perkins rise to become a V8 Supercars race winner.
The story, published in the week after Perkins and James Courtney won on the Gold Coast in October, was highly regarded amongst his peers and helped deliver Bartholomaeus his fifth V8 Media Award in just two years.
Auto Action Magazine journalist Lewis Isaacs won his first V8MA for the ‘best news story’: his mid-season website article breaking the news that Shane van Gisbergen would be Red Bull Racing-bound in 2016 edging out a strong field of contenders in what was a big news year.
Daniel Kalisz’s innovative photography style was recognised twice, Kalisz winning the overall ‘Photographer of the year’ award and also the ‘on-track photo of the year’ for a superb capture of three cars racing through the trees at Hidden Valley.
Getty Images’ Rob Cianflone won the award for ‘best off-track’ photograph thanks to a remarkable image of a contemplative Marcos Ambrose sitting in his DJR Team Penske Falcon earlier this year.
For the third year in a row, Melbourne Radio Station 1116 SEN was recognised for their ongoing radio coverage of V8 Supercars racing, Tony Schibeci’s ‘On the Grid’ program winning the ‘Best radio show / podcast’ once again.
Network Ten was recognised for their efforts in profiling the reaction to Chaz Mostert’s Bathurst crash: a feature produced by David Tunnicliffe and hosted by Mark Larkham, Matt White, Grant Denyer and Mark Howard going in-depth with Mostert’s team, the safety features within the cars and an updates on the injured officials in the immediate aftermath of the accident.
Richard Craill became the first person to win four-consecutive V8 Media Awards when he was once again recognised as the ‘Best Commentator / Broadcaster’ for the season.
The V8 Media Awards are awarded annually by the V8 Media Association and were this year held at The Stables at Sydney Olympic Park in a gala affair.
Sponsored by Castrol and Nissan Australia, the evening saw Nissan make two major announcements relating to the 2016 season, including their return to the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour race.
They also confirmed that 2015 GT Academy winner Matt Simmonds would compete full-time in the Blancpain Endurance Series for the factory Nissan / NISMO team next year.
The V8 Media Association thanks Richard Emery and the team from Nissan Australia for their support, and Sue Dilger and Castrol Australia for also supporting the awards.
2015 CASTROL V8 MEDIA AWARDS PRESENTED BY NISSAN
BEST FEATURE STORY
Jack Perkins, the Journey – Stefan Bartholomaeus, www.speedcafe.com
BEST NEWS STORY
SVG to Triple Eight – Lewis Isaacs, Auto Action
BEST JOURNALIST
Stefan Bartholomaeus, www.speedcafe.com
BEST RADIO / PODCAST
On the Grid – 1116 SEN Radio, Tony Schibeci
BEST BROADCASTER / COMMENTATOR
Richard Craill – Big Screen / Network Ten / 1116 SEN
BEST PROGRAPHER
Daniel Kalisz
BEST ON-TRACK PHOTO
Daniel Kalisz
BEST OFF-TRACK PHOTO
Rob Cianflone – Getty Images
BEST PR REPRESENTATIVE
Peter Trevaskis – Prodrive Racing Australia
BEST ACTIVATION OR STUNT
PRA Season Launch on HMAS Canberra Aircraft Carrier
BEST FEATURE OR PROMOTIONAL VIDEO (BROADCAST OR WEB)
Back to the Future – Prodrive Racing Australia
BEST IN-BROADCAST FEATURE / NEWS STORY
Chaz Mostert Crash Reaction – Network Ten (Matt White, Mark Larkham, Grant Denyer, Mark Howard. Producer: David Tunnicliffe.)