TRIPLE Eight Race Engineering is set to blood a rookie in the 2024 Repco Supercars Championship enduros.
V8 Sleuth has learnt Cooper Murray is the favourite to partner Craig Lowndes in the Supercheap Auto wildcard Camaro at next year’s Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000.
Triple Eight and Supercheap have opted for a blend of youth and experience each year since launching the program in 2021.
First, it was Broc Feeney with Russell Ingall.
Craig Lowndes has been the veteran figurehead thereafter, joining forces with Declan Fraser in 2022 and Zane Goddard this year.
Goddard/Lowndes combined well to take 10th at Sandown before being wiped out of contention early in last month’s Great Race due to a broken gearshift tower, leaving them to limp home in 24th.
While Feeney and Fraser subsequently graduated to the main game, it’s unclear what is next for the talented Goddard given Triple Eight’s main 2024 co-drives will be occupied by Scott Pye and either Jamie Whincup or Shane van Gisbergen.
As for Murray, he has shown plenty of promise already in his young career.
The 22-year-old was Porsche Carrera Cup Australia runner-up to Cameron Hill in 2021 and won on his Super2 debut earlier this year in Newcastle.
MORE: The nine drivers to win their first Super2 race
Driving a Triple Eight-built ZB Commodore for Eggleston Motorsport, Murray has since added a second Super2 race win, at Sandown, and is fourth in the overall standings.
Murray’s Eggleston teammate Kai Allen meanwhile has aligned himself with Dick Johnson Racing, who he debuted for in a Bathurst 1000 wildcard with Simona De Silvestro.
Allen is expected to pair up with Will Davison in the 2024 enduros, with Tony D’Alberto tipped to retain his place alongside Anton De Pasquale in the #11 Shell V-Power Mustang.
Dates for next year’s Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000 have now been confirmed as September 20-22 and October 10-13, respectively.
