ZAK Best has a job to do this weekend in what might be the long-awaited final step of his Supercars apprenticeship.
As exclusively pre-empted by V8 Sleuth, Best is the favourite to replace Jack Smith next year in the SCT Motorsport-owned entry run out of Brad Jones Racing.
Smith is confirmed to be finishing up as a Supercars full-timer after this weekend’s VAILO Adelaide 500, but his successor is yet to be formally announced.
The situation comes as Best homes in on an elusive Super2 title having been runner-up the past two seasons, to Broc Feeney and then Declan Fraser.
Racing an ex-DJR Team Penske Mustang for Anderson Motorsport, Best is 30 points clear of rookie contender Kai Allen with 300 up for grabs in Adelaide.
MORE: Allen out to banish Adelaide demons
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The Benalla boy is desperate to finally get his hands on the trophy and once and for all prove he is main game worthy.
“It’s definitely frustrating that I’m not in the main series yet,” he said.
“This year I have been working really hard on and off the track to make sure I’m ready to graduate and show everyone that I’m ready to be in there.
“I’d like to say I will be. I’m working on a few things but hopefully something comes of it.”
Elsewhere at BJR, Andre Heimgartner and Bryce Fullwood are under contract while Macauley Jones is also expected to stay on in the Albury squad’s third Camaro.
Best already has a Supercars Championship pole position to his name and finished sixth with James Courtney in last month’s Repco Bathurst 1000.
