Bendix Racing makes Ballarat pit stop for Open Day

Leading friction material and brake component manufacturer, Bendix, opened the doors of its Ballarat production and engineering facility last week to the public, motor racing fans and stakeholders, as part of its Bendix Racing Open Day.

Bendix staff take an opportunity to pose for a photo with Bendix Racing team members.

The event included appearances and a Q&A session with Bendix Racing Supercar driver Nick Percat and co-driver, Dylan O’Keeffe, along with team owner, Matt Stone. Attendees also participated in a ‘meet and greet’ with the drivers, took photos and had merchandise signed; additionally, they were able to get up close to Nick’s race car and the team’s impressive transporter.

The Bendix Racing Camaro sits comfortably in front of Bendix's 'Plant A' building.

The occasion also threw the spotlight on Bendix’s Australian manufacturing and engineering capabilities, with attendees given guided tours of the production facility along with recently refurbished warehouse.

From left to right - Bendix Head of Manufacturing, Tony Simmons, Bendix Racing Supercar driver, Nick Percat, and team owner, Matt Stone, tour Bendix's Ballarat manufacturing facility.

Other experiences included kids’ face painting and activity zones, and raffles and door prizes while keeping the masses fed was a complementary barbeque.

Bendix is the only remaining brake manufacturer in Australia, and in his first visit to the Bendix facility, Nick Percat said he was impressed with the level of research, development and quality assurance that goes into every set of brake pads.

The Bendix Racing Open Day was well attended and sold out days before the event.

“Good braking plays a huge role on the race track, but it’s even more important on public roads where conditions are not controlled and choosing the right brake package is paramount to overall driving safety,” Nick commented.

“Many people probably don’t give much thought to brake pads, rotors and related, but it’s comforting to know the effort that Bendix goes to in developing its range – there’s a huge focus on local engineering, local testing and of course, local manufacturing which I saw firsthand today.”

Attendees enjoyed giveaways and signing opportunities with the drivers.

The Bendix Racing visit coincided with the team’s trip south from its Gold Coast headquarters enroute to the Sandown 500 enduro round held last weekend.

A 'Q&A' session also gave event goers some interesting insights into the Bendix Racing Team, with the team sharing stories and taking questions from the audience.