Penrite Racing has confirmed that it will field Richie Stanaway in the 2024 Supercars Championship, replacing David Reynolds.
The Stanaway contract makes for an all-Kiwi line-up at Braeside, with 2023 rookie Matt Payne already locked in on a long-term deal.
The announcement of Grove Racing’s latest signing comes after it this morning confirmed a parting of ways with Reynolds via a brief statement.
Team Owner Stephen Grove said, “As we continue to build the race team, securing a driver of Richie’s calibre is extremely exciting; giving the team the opportunity to challenge for race wins and championships.
“Richie’s experience and feedback will be great for the team to further develop moving forward.
“I wish Dave all the best as he moves forward and thank him for his contribution to the team over the last three seasons.”
For Stanaway, the deal represents a remarkable turnaround for one of the more enigmatic characters to have graced the Supercars paddock.
He has only made one start since being plucked out of the wilderness via the belated Boost Mobile-backed Erebus Motorsport wildcard entry at last year’s Bathurst 1000, qualifying fifth-fastest in the rain and sharing a finish of 11th with Greg Murphy despite the car being turned around midway through the day.
However, that was enough to land the plum co-driver gig alongside 2022 Great Race winner Shane van Gisbergen at Triple Eight Race Engineering.
Triple Eight has propped for Erebus Motorsport incumbent Will Brown in order to release van Gisbergen for his inevitable switch to NASCAR, but Grove has obviously been impressed by Stanaway.
“I would like to thank Penrite Racing for the incredible opportunity to be a part of the team next year,” said the 31-year-old.
“I’ve been impressed by the direction the team has been heading in recent years and have been enjoying my time in the Gen3 era thus far so I am excited to see what we can achieve together.”
Stanaway is a two-time GP2 race winner and a former factory Aston Martin driver in the World Endurance Championship.
The highlight of his Supercars career is victory in the 2017 Sandown 500 as co-driver to Tickford Racing’s Cam Waters.
He was given a Tickford seat of his own in 2018 but left at the end of that season and then spent one, injury-disrupted campaign at Garry Rogers Motorsport before quitting motorsport, although not for good.
Stanaway has already been driving somewhat regularly this year as part of Triple Eight’s GT World Challenge programme, and is set to test again at Queensland Raceway next month before the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 on September 15-17.
Grove Racing will count on van Gisbergen’s previous co-driver, Garth Tander, as well as Kevin Estre for its enduro campaign, although it is yet to be announced who will partner Payne and who will drive with Reynolds.
As it stands, Grove’s announcement confirms Stanaway for 2024 only, while Reynolds is expected to land in the Team 18 seat currently held by Scott Pye in 2024.
Meanwhile, Walkinshaw Andretti United has confirmed the departure of Nick Percat at season’s end.
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