IT has already been noted that Scott Pye’s two-year Triple Eight contract comes with the option of a mid-term release should a full-time opportunity arise, but that is not top priority right now for the Supercars race winner.
After more than a decade out of the Triple Eight fold, Pye will return to the Banyo juggernaut with which he was runner-up in the 2012 Super2 Series.
He has been a mainstay on the grid ever since, journeying from Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport to Dick Johnson Racing/DJR Team Penske, Walkinshaw Andretti United and Team 18.
There have been several instances in recent years of prominent co-drive seats becoming a springboard back into the main game, with cases in point including Richie Stanaway, Lee Holdsworth and Tim Slade.
Pye isn’t necessarily in the same boat.
“I wouldn’t think of it as relaunching my career,” he told V8 Sleuth.
“What I looked at was the possibilities to win a race and to feel like when I do turn up at the track that I will be in contention.
“There’s very few opportunities like that and it’s really only a couple of teams that have the capability to turn up every weekend and be a chance for a result.
“So for me, of all the opportunities out there of full-time and co-driving, I thought this was actually my best opportunity and I just really wanted to get back into an environment that was positive and that I could enjoy again.
“I love racing cars and I love competing but I certainly want to hit the reset; I’m not enjoying it as much as I should be right now and that’s not a good feeling.
“I want to get back to where I was and I think with a good environment I can do that and with the right people around me we can succeed.
“I’m not necessarily looking at it as relaunching my career, I genuinely looked at this as my best chance to win Bathurst and show what I can do as well when I’m in a good environment and a good team.”
There may also be the opportunity for Pye to dabble in GT3 racing, given Triple Eight’s various programs outside of Supercars and the team’s relationship with Mercedes-AMG.
Pye heads into next week’s Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 – his penultimate round with Team 18 – sitting 17th in the championship standings after a late fuel mishap at Bathurst.
