Kelly's funding is secure

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Despite Opes Prime's financial hardship Rick Kelly will not be affected.
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Stephen Ottley

Contributing Journalist

2 min read

The financial company went into voluntary administration last week as the Australian Securities and Investments Commission launched an investigation into its actions.

Company director Anthony Blumberg is a passionate motor-racing supporter and has invested millions of dollars into the sport both locally and internationally.

Kelly's HSV Dealer Team Holden Commodore was one of 12 cars to carry Opes Prime sponsorship.

In addition to the Championship Series V8 Supercar, the company also backed Marcus Zukanovic's Development Series entry, a Porsche in the Carrera Cup, a Formula Ford and an entry in the Renault V6 Asia series.

Blumberg also bought five Formula Three cars and sponsored the local championship. He also invested in the Conquest Racing Indycar team in America.

HSVDT said it was unaffected by the company's problems, but was likely to ditch its Opes Prime branding before the next round of the series.

“Opes Prime is up to date with its contractual sponsorship obligations to the HSV Dealer Team at this time,” the HSVDT statement said.

“The HSV Dealer Team will compete at the next round of the V8 Supercar Championship in Hamilton, New Zealand, and subsequent rounds for the remainder of 2008. The team is examining its contractual obligations to continue to display Opes Prime branding.”

It is believed HSVDT's deal was the only sponsorship arranged officially through the company. The rest of the deals were done personally by Blumberg.

The Australian Formula Three Series also issued a statement, saying everything would continue as normal despite Opes Prime's significant involvement in the championship. Blumberg reportedly spent $120,000 on the series' annual prize fund.

Photo of Stephen Ottley
Stephen Ottley

Contributing Journalist

Steve has been obsessed with all things automotive for as long as he can remember. Literally, his earliest memory is of a car. Having amassed an enviable Hot Wheels and Matchbox collection as a kid he moved into the world of real cars with an Alfa Romeo Alfasud. Despite that questionable history he carved a successful career for himself, firstly covering motorsport for Auto Action magazine before eventually moving into the automotive publishing world with CarsGuide in 2008. Since then he's worked for every major outlet, having work published in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Drive.com.au, Street Machine, V8X and F1 Racing. These days he still loves cars as much as he did as a kid and has an Alfa Romeo Alfasud in the garage (but not the same one as before... that's a long story).
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