Assured of his Supercars future, Scott Pye is making the most of having less pressure on his shoulders as he guns for DJR Team Penske’s maiden victory at Mount Panorama this weekend.

The South Australian had been driving for a seat in the category since May after Penske elected to replace Pye with Scott McLaughlin for 2017.

Now locked in at Walkinshaw Racing, Pye says he feels some pressure has been lifted from his shoulders, coinciding with a strong performance in practice and qualifying.

Pye qualified the #17 DJR Team Penske Falcon he shares with Tony D’Alberto eighth on Friday ensuring both team cars progressed to the Top 10 Shootout for the first time since 2001.

Having taken Penske’s first podium at Pukekohe last year and first pole position at the Clipsal 500 in March, Pye is eager to score a maiden win before departing the squad.

The team is this weekend operating under the direct glare of owner Roger Penske, who is attending his first Bathurst 1000.

“I’m really relaxed now and I’m just enjoying my racing,” Pye told Speedcafe.com.

“There is no pressure at all and I can just enjoy driving the race car.

“I still haven’t got my first race win so I am pushing as hard as ever.

“I’ve got my head down to try and get the best results I could and that doesn’t change now.

“I want to win races and be at the front but there is not that thing in the back of your mind about my future.

“There are a lot of young guys coming up and it is tough.

“There are the same goals in mind (when you’re out of contract) but there is that added pressure of trying to find drives so there is a bit of pressure gone.

“Now the drive is to take DJR Team Penske’s first win and then I will have the trifecta, first pole, first podium and first win.

“This is the perfect location to deliver a win and I feel like both of us have a great shot at it. It is the place everyone wants to win.”

Pye was just 25th fastest in final practice this morning after electing against undertaking a Shootout simulation run.

“We just ran a race run,” he confirmed.

“The tyres we ran were over 100km old.

“Fabs (team-mate Fabian Coulthard) ran greens and we were only two tenths off that, so I think we were really strong.”