ALMOST the entire 2024 Repco Supercars Championship grid is set in stone for 2024, and now the co-driver market is starting to fall into place too.
Since this month’s Repco Bathurst 1000, there have been two key announcements: Triple Eight swooping on Scott Pye, and Erebus Motorsport renewing evergreen veteran David Russell.
That puts Triple Eight a long way towards being sorted, with Pye tipped to partner recruit Will Brown, Jamie Whincup likely to stick with Broc Feeney, and Craig Lowndes again forming one half of the team’s wildcard line-up.
Whincup though has declared he’s willing to make way for Shane van Gisbergen to co-drive, should the Kiwi superstar be available to return Down Under between his NASCAR commitments with Trackhouse Racing.
“I’d prefer to have too many options than not enough,” Whincup told V8 Sleuth. “I’ve always said that I’ll co-drive as long as I am the best option.
“If SVG didn’t come back, we would have been left short, so Scotty Pye was available, we signed him. If SVG comes back, I sit out.”
Erebus only announcing Russell’s retention has left the door open for a double change in the #9 entry which will be spearheaded next year by Jack Le Brocq.
Todd Hazelwood, who is on the outer at the Blanchard Racing Team, has been linked to that co-drive. Hazelwood and Le Brocq were Matt Stone Racing teammates in 2022.
That could leave Jack Perkins, who finished fourth in the Sandown 500 with Brown, as a free agent.
Dick Johnson Racing is expected to re-sign Tony D’Alberto and promote Kai Allen from its wildcard program into the #17 co-drive in place of Alex Davison.
Garth Tander (Grove Racing) and Michael Caruso (Team 18) are among co-drivers elsewhere known to be under contract for 2024. The same is thought to be the case for James Moffat (Tickford Racing).
It’s anticipated there’ll again be a two-part enduro season next year, comprising the Sandown 500 and Repco Bathurst 1000.
