Three-time Bathurst 1000 champion, Garth Tander has revealed he has crossed to the dark side ahead of this year’s Great Race, unveiling a menacing Star Wars: The Force Awakens livery for his Holden Racing Team Commodore V8 Supercar.

Holden’s factory racing team, HRT will hit Mount Panorama next month with two unique Star Wars: The Force Awakens designs, the first activation of a recently announced collaboration between Holden and The Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand.

Set 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi - Star Wars: The Force Awakens is the highly anticipated next chapter in the popular movie franchise releasing in cinemas Thursday, 17 December 2015. Its first two trailers received 58 and 88 million views online respectively within the first 24 hours of release.

The #2 HRT VF Commodore race car Tander will share with co-driver Warren Luff will feature Kylo Ren and his lightsaber on one side of its striking black and red livery, and a First Order Stormtrooper on the other – Kylo Ren and the Stormtrooper replacing the iconic HRT driver and lion on the other.

“Star Wars is the greatest movie franchise in history, so I know there will be a lot of interest around our livery from not only our loyal Holden V8 fans, but Star Wars fans globally,” Tander said.

“HRT is the most successful team ever at Mt Panorama and to carry the iconic film franchise on the car is extra incentive to add another Bathurst win to my tally. This is one battle I want the dark side to win.”

Holden’s Sponsorship and Motorsport Manager, Simon McNamara said today’s unveiling was the first of two exciting announcements in the lead up to next month’s Bathurst 1000.

“Today’s unveiling is just the first in a number of innovative activations we have planned in our recently announced association with The Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand to promote the Star Wars franchise,” McNamara said.

“We are excited as this is the first global activation for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Not only are we continuing to engage with our traditional and loyal fan base, but we are also opening up Holden and Supercars to all new audiences.”

To celebrate this iconic collaboration fans will get to choose their side through unique Holden | Star Wars collectible merchandise, available on-track and for pre-sale at shop.hrt.com.au from today, Monday, 21 September 2015.

Along with a range of apparel and accessories - the hotly anticipated 1:18 scale replica Star Wars | HRT Bathurst die-cast is already tipped to be the key item here and overseas.

The 2015 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 will be held at the famous Mt Panorama circuit from 8 – 11 October.

About “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”
Lucasfilm and visionary director J.J. Abrams join forces to take you back again to a galaxy far, far away as “Star Wars” returns to the big screen with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

The film stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Max Von Sydow. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk are producing with Tommy Harper and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. The screenplay is by J.J. Abrams & Lawrence Kasdan. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” releases in Australian cinemas on December 17, 2015.