THE pieces are gradually falling into place as for how the 2023 Dunlop Super2 Series will look.
Uncertainty has been aplenty with a complete handover of cars coming: the Holden ZB Commodore and Ford’s Gen2 Mustang being passed down from the main game, and the existing VF Commodore, FG X Falcon and Nissan Altima models moving to Super3.
V8 Sleuth last night revealed Matt Stone Racing is withdrawing from Super2, following Triple Eight and Grove Racing out the door – albeit all for different reasons.
But it’s not all doom and gloom.
For a start, Tickford Racing is expanding to two cars, signing Elly Morrow and Super3 champion Brad Vaughan.
Tickford does possess six Mustangs in its fleet – the five it used during the 2022 Repco Supercars Championship, plus the ex-Garry Rogers Motorsport chassis it purchased mid-year – and could yet sell at least one of those to a competitor.
Heightening the main game presence will be the Blanchard Racing Team’s entry for young gun Aaron Love, and the expected arrival of Walkinshaw Andretti United with at least one car.
Despite WAU switching to Ford at the top level, it’s expected to run a ZB Commodore (or two) in Super2 – possibly minus the Holden badge.
Brad Jones Racing is likely to continue with Lochie Dalton, who made a fine debut in Adelaide.
Erebus Motorsport will retain its affiliation with Image Racing, with two cars the most likely scenario. Jay Hanson is being tipped as the favourite for one of those seats.
Title-winning stalwarts Eggleston Motorsport will also be back with at least the two cars it has purchased from Team 18.
There, Kai Allen will graduate from Super3, with his teammate to be Cameron Crick.
While MSR is out, V8 Sleuth understands Aaron Seton’s Super2 future is safe for 2023, with the third-generation driver to announce plans in the coming weeks.
With Matt Payne and Cameron Hill joining the main game, neither Declan Fraser nor Zak Best returning to Super2 and a question mark hovering over Tyler Everingham’s next move, Matt Chahda could well be the highest-placed 2022 driver to be going around again.
Chahda wants to run a two-car team, but in any case has access to the #17 Dick Johnson Racing Mustang used by Will Davison this year.
That’s not the only ex-DJR Mustang set to be in the field, with Michael Anderson – who made an unsuccessful bid to contest this year’s Great Race – anticipated to drive for his eponymous squad.
And then there’s the family outfit of Zane Morse, which owns both the ZB Commodore which won the 2021 Bathurst 1000 and the Mustang raced by Cam Waters.
It’s believed Morse will drive the latter in Super2 next year.
That makes for a minimum of 13 cars on the grid, and that’s without accounting for the most successful team in Super2 history: MW Motorsport.
Getting a read on MWM’s plans has been no easy task, especially since the decision was made to shuffle the Altima model to Super3.
MWM ran cars for Everingham, Thomas Maxwell and Angelo Mouzouris this season.
A popular theory has been that the Victorian squad will acquire two of the Mustangs currently owned by Todd Kelly, although there’s been no confirmation as such thus far with team boss Matt White tight-lipped.
The future of at least one 2022 MWM Nissan has been confirmed, heading to Cameron McLeod for Super3 next year.
Jett Johnson and Mason Kelly have also been touted for possible Super3 drives.
