Copart-sponsored O’Dell Racing Team was back behind the wheel for a series of stock car racing championship events in June.
Local sponsorship is an important part of our overall Copart Cares CSR strategy, which includes making teammates feel part of the ‘Copart Family’ and having a positive impact on communities.
The O’Dell racing team, which includes two long serving Copart teammates – father and son Steve and Dean, and Dean’s brother Adam – first received sponsorship from Universal Salvage in 1985.
Copart continued to support this after acquiring the business in 2007 and is proud to still do so today.
Competing at World, European, British, and local levels, Dean races in the competitive non-contact Hotrod formula, and Adam races in the popular stock car racing where contact is permitted.
Since our last blog post, O’Dell Racing has competed in the Stockrod European Championship in Lochgelly, Scotland on 5th June. In the heats they finished in a 2nd and a 7th – which put them on the second row outside for the championship race, where they finished in 5th place.
The following day, the team headed over to Aldershot for the Stockcar English Championship and after some fast and furious racing, they finished in 3rd place, which was a fantastic result!
After that amazing achievement there was no chance for a rest, as the following weekend it was off to the Adrian Flux Arena in Kings Lynn with the stock car.
Team Manager, Steve O’Dell, said:
“The heats went our way with some good finishes, qualifying in the mid pack of a 36-car final, but after a pile-up on the opening laps we sustained damage to the car and unfortunately had to retire. You can’t win them all!
“But we quickly bounced back and were off to Hednesford the next day with the hotrod for a domestic meeting. This was a great chance for us to learn more about the car and we hope to move forward in this new formula.”
Team O’Dell finished the month off on a high, back in Aldershot again in the stockrod.
“We finished 2nd in the first race and 10th in the next.” Said Steve. “In the final race we achieved a 2nd place, as well having the fastest lap in the first and second heats and the feature final, so a great note to end the month on!”
And, if all that wasn’t enough, one of O’Dell Racing’s stock cars has been immortalised as a 12th scale model by Scalestox. The builder has a real passion for making models of stock cars and hot rods, which often retail for up to £500.
Steve said: “We’re delighted with the model Scalestox has made of our of the Copart sponsored Stockcar. They have gone into a fantastic level of detail, and we can’t wait to take ownership of it, so we can bring it into the office to show our teammates.”
July is set to yet another busy month, with the team heading to Ipswich with the Hotrod followed by a speedfest of racing in Skegness with the stockcar over a three-day period.
“We really enjoy being on this ongoing journey with O’Dell Racing and have loved celebrating all of their achievements so far. It’s been great to help support their love of stock car racing, as well as creating some fantastic brand awareness for our business as Team O’Dell continues to compete all over the county in their Copart-branded cars.
Creating strong partnerships with causes that are important to our teammates is an integral part of our Copart Cares CSR strategy, which includes building relationships with, and caring for the wellbeing of, both our teammates and our local communities.”
Mark Godfrey, Director of Strategy, Marketing, and Automotive Divisions
Images courtesy of Matt Bull, Alan Pirouet, KW Photos & MK Pics.