EREBUS Motorsport CEO Barry Ryan will make his latest visit to Richard Childress Racing’s North Carolina headquarters this week.
The revelation comes just hours after Brodie Kostecki’s NASCAR Cup Series debut with RCR was announced, although Ryan’s trip is unrelated.
Rather, it pertains to the burgeoning working relationship between Erebus and RCR.
“I am actually going over there this week to do some more things with them,” Ryan told V8 Sleuth, having been part of an Erebus delegation which visited RCR in early June.
“It’s just more about what the original intention was, to work together with a NASCAR team, what we can do to benefit them and what they can do to benefit us.
“It’s a big box to tick, to get Brodie in one of their cars because they have already seen what a Supercars driver can do in a NASCAR with Shane (van Gisbergen), so this is another box to go ‘right, this is what one of our drivers can do’.
“George (Commins), Brodie’s engineer, will be involved to a point, but we can’t lose focus on winning this championship.
“It’s probably more long-term stuff we are trying to set up with them, some of the chassis simulation stuff they can potentially utilise that we either can’t afford or don’t have.
“That’s the sort of stuff we’re looking at and it’s still in its infancy but we’re just trying to get to a point where we’re actually helping each other; it can’t be a one-way street.”
FEATURE: Kostecki details dream NASCAR gig
Ryan spoke of his delight for Kostecki, and heaped praise on Image Racing boss Terry Wyhoon for helping establish the connection.
Asked if he’ll venture to Indianapolis come race day on August 13, Ryan was not yet sure – but did indicate Commins is a certainty.
“I’d like to but again, we can’t lose focus on what we’re doing here,” explained Ryan.
“The business side of it, which is big for me, I’ll make sure that’s all in order and if that’s all good and I can jump on a plane, I would love to go and actually support Brodie in person.
“I think it is important for George to go, for a lot of reasons.
“He knows Brodie more than anyone for a start and if he can help them even one percent or half a percent technically, and RCR see a gain out of what we can deliver, well that’s great for our relationship.”
As for how Kostecki will fare, Ryan is confident he’ll make a good immediate impression at the road course.
“Tyler Reddick won there last year in an RCR car so they have obviously got a reasonable set-up at that track,” he said.
“It’s good for Brodie that he knows he is getting into a car that they know can win there.
“It’s all up to Brodie, and as we know with Brodie, he’ll be on the simulator constantly so he’ll get there and know the joint back to front even though he hasn’t driven there.
“I’m sure straight out of the gate he’ll be not learning the track, just learning the car.”
Back in Supercars land, Erebus leads both the drivers’ and teams’ championships at the midway point of the season.
