Bathurst Super2 field takes shape

It appears that just one to two entries will run with co-drivers for this year’s Dunlop Super2 Series Bathurst enduro.

The 250km Super2 race at Mount Panorama allows for cars to feature two drivers although most opt to drive the 41 laps alone.

So far, only Grove Racing has signalled that its ex-Craig Lowndes VF Commodore will have multiple pilots, with Triple Eight Pirtek Enduro Cup co-driver Earl Bamber to partner rookie Brenton Grove.

Speedcafe.com has contacted every other team and established that the vast majority will stick with their regular arrangements, although Bryce Fullwood switches to Matt Stone Racing’s ex-Adam Marjoram VF Commodore after the Holden he raced in Townsville was requisitioned for Championship duties for Todd Hazelwood.

But for the addition of another team, the only possible exception is new outfit Kali Motorsport, which joined the series at the most recent round in Townsville.

All options are open for the team spearheaded by Gerard McLeod, namely for McLeod to one of the team’s Triple Eight-built ex-Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport VF Commodores by himself, drive with a co-driver, or sit out the round due to budget constraints.

“Bathurst for us, we’re hoping to get there but doing the maths on it, I can get someone to drive with me and we can get it sort of done but we’re trying to do it as competitively as we can do it,” McLeod told Speedcafe.com.

“I’ve got sponsors for Sandown (next round) but I’m just trying to work out what’s happening with Bathurst.”

Kali’s inclusion would keep the field at 23 cars, as it has been for each of the four rounds of the season to date, after only 15 cars entered the Mount Panorama round in 2017 due to its non-points status.

Nearly a third of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship field has drawn Pirtek Enduro Cup co-drivers from the Super2 ranks.

Of those nine, Paul Dumbrell is best credentialled on the mountain as a Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000-winning co-driver in 2012, while Supercars debutant Bamber is a two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and two-time Bathurst 12 Hour class winner with Grove Racing.

The three MW Motorsport drivers (Dean Fiore, Garry Jacobson, Alex Rullo) make up three-quarters of Nissan Motorsport’s co-driver contingent, Macauley Jones again lines up with Nick Percat at Brad Jones Racing, and Chris Pither will steer with Garth Tander in his Garry Rogers Motorsport enduro return.

There will be first-time starts for Fullwood, who MSR has called up to its Championship ranks to join Hazelwood, and Will Brown at Erebus Motorsport.

Round 5 of Super2 supports the Rabble.Club Sandown 500 on September 14-16 before its longest race of the season on the Saturday of the Bathurst 1000 weekend of October 4-7.

Provisional entry list: Bathurst 250, Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit