Rich Energy pulls sponsorship of championship-leading superbike team

Rich Energy’s chaotic history of motor racing sponsorship took an even stranger turn last night as it announced that it would no longer be the title backer of British Superbike OMG Racing team with immediate effect.

The team is currently leading the championship and the announcement, via Twitter, appears to have caught it off-guard.

“Rich Energy would like to thank OMG Racing for their work in the last 2 years but the whole agreement is now at an end,” read the post from the ‘Rich Energy HQ’ account.

Published at 6.45pm on Sunday, the statement said that the company was “expanding its portfolio in many spheres including sport” and included a link to buy the sugar-charged beverage, which sent users to a website under construction.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: Rich Energy would like to thank @OMGRacingUK for their work in the last 2 years but the whole agreement is now at an end. Rich Energy is expanding its portfolio in many spheres including sport. Rich Energy is now available directly at https://t.co/jYCeOPlg8A pic.twitter.com/83Ak4wP8oc

— Rich Energy HQ (@rich_energy) July 17, 2022

OMG team principal Paul Curran declined to comment when contacted by Motor Sport. After a long morning of similar media requests, the weary-sounding boss said he was considering blocking reporters’ phone numbers.

A PR representative for the team then called to say that a statement would be released in the coming days.

Rich Energy, which is rarely seen in shops, shot to notoriety when it became the title sponsor of the Haas Formula 1 team in 2019, only to terminate the deal with a bizarre tweet from CEO William Storey citing that the poor performance of the team combined with “politics and PC attitude” that was “inhibiting our business”.

Storey was then ousted from his position of CEO later that year, but then later returned as he bought back shares he had previously sold.

Rich Energy’s social media account took to criticising the Haas car as a “milk float” and also posted a legal letter, apparently from Haas, which claimed that Rich Energy owed the team money.

Now the brand has returned to form with another social media post announcing the end of its title sponsorship of the OMG Racing team, whose rider Bradley Ray is currently top of BSB riders’ standings with three wins, whilst his team-mate Kyle Ryde is fifth with a victory to his name also.

Storey himself also tweeted from his personal account, saying: “A good team that I hope continue their success. The two BSB riders Kyle Ryde & Brad Ray are exceptional & I think Brad can win the title. I wish them the best of luck in the future.”

Rich Energy also sponsors the BTCC outfit BTC Racing, which is currently running Jason Plato in his final year in the championship, and Josh Cook, who has won races this season and is currently second in the standings. The team was contacted for comment.