Continuing the Stobart tradition in the WRCNewly named Stobart VK M-Sport Ford driver Gigi Galli has announced his 2008 charitable aspirations by auctioning the naming rights to his Stobart Ford Focus RS WRC07 for each individual round of the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship.
For
decades the Eddie Stobart transport company has upheld an idiosyncratic tradition of identifying its many trucks by allowing their drivers to choose a female's name to brand it with.
The fact that thousands of people are currently on the waiting list to name a Stobart truck demonstrates the popularity of the iconic UK-based logistics firm; now part of the newly-formed Stobart Group. This tradition has since been employed by its motorsport wing which has seen cars named by their drivers in the WRC, British Rally Championship, Production World Rally Championship and the Fiesta SportingTrophy.
Galli bounced on the idea of auctioning the naming rights to his car for charity after he heard the story of a Cumbrian businessman who paid a large sum of money to have the name of a loved one on one of the Eddie Stobart trucks; the amount then entirely donated to charity by Eddie Stobart Ltd.
Approximately one month before each event a new auction is opened online to the public and the highest donation receives the right to brand the Stobart Focus RS with their choice of female name. The beneficiary is an Italian skiing charity headed by former Olympic skier Deborah Compagnoni.
Bids for Rallye Monte-Carlo have recently closed with the winner choosing Peppa as the name which will be emblazoned on Galli's car for the opening round of the 2008 season.
Source Stobart VK M-Sport Ford
