Performance Car Series signs STS Turbo as 2006 Title Sponsor.

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Australia’s fastest production-based touring car series, the Australian Performance Car Championship, will return to the track this season with Sydney-based company STS Turbo as its new title sponsor.

The 2006 STS Turbo Australian Performance Car Championship will open at Oran Park Raceway, near Sydney, on 6-7 May with a field including some of the hottest sedans and coupes on Australian roads, such as the HSV GTS Coupe, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, Subaru Impreza STi, BMW M3 and a Ford Falcon FPV F6 Typhoon to be driven by Andrew Moffat, son of the legendary Allan Moffat.

Joining the field for the first time in 2006 will be competitors in a new Privateers Cup class, in which a number of measures have been designed to limit costs and make the racing more enjoyable for non-professional drivers.

The seven-round championship will include three rounds on V8 Supercar event programs.

Announcing the championship developments today, Performance Car Category Manager Craig Nayda said the signing of STS Turbo Australia as primary sponsor would give the series a strong foundation.

"The Australian Performance Car Championship and STS Turbo Australia are an ideal partnership, as many of the cars run by our competitors and our fans are turbocharged," he said.

"We are indebted to the STS Turbo Australia directors Peter Boylan and John Reece for their commitment to the series and are confident it will introduce many performance car enthusiasts to the unique STS Turbo concept."

Mr Nayda also announced the return of Donut King as a sponsor of the category for the third season. Donut King signs will be seen on the number plate panels of all competing cars.

The United States-developed STS Turbo system achieves big gains in power, fuel economy and emissions reduction by remotely mounting the turbocharger away from the engine compartment in a cooler airflow.

STS Australia is the Utah company's first international licensee and will be the sole manufacturer and distributor of the patented technology throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Asian region.

"We're very excited to introduce the innovative STS technology into the Australian market. It has limitless potential for cars and trucks and petrol or diesel engines," said Peter Boylan, who will contest the Performance Car championship in his familiar BMW M3 coupe.

"The tremendous benefits of the remote turbocharging concept will be very attractive to the Australian performance enthusiast and as well as supplying kits manufactured by STS Turbo in the US, STS Turbo Australia will be developing a unique line of applications for our local vehicles."

The STS Turbo Australian Performance Car Championship's new Privateers Cup is designed to provide cost-effective racing for both social drivers and those with limited budgets.

Cost-reduction measures will include mandatory use of a control tyre, with an allocation of four per car per round.

As well as controlling costs, the nominated tyre is expected to help save on mechanical maintenance by reducing stresses on drive-train components.

Other features of the Privateers Cup include extended eligibility life for cars superseded from the Outright class, meaning lower entry costs to the championship, exception from performance-parity adjustments applied to Outright cars and guaranteed coverage in four round telecasts on the Channel Nine national TV network.

"All in all, these upgrades to the Australian Performance Car Championship will ensure another season of tremendous competition," Mr Nayda said.

"We have the security of a naming-rights sponsor in STS Turbo, the promise of a crack Outright field and the opportunity for the new Privateers Cup competitors to join the series at minimal cost while still enjoying valuable benefits such as national, free-to-air TV exposure."