Slade no clearer on Supercars future

Tim Slade says his Supercars future is no clearer as the out of contract driver heads into this weekend’s Coates Hire Newcastle 500 season finale.

The Brad Jones Racing driver is among the last of the more senior figures on the grid to secure a seat for next year as the silly season appears to reaching its culmination.

Slade has been linked to move away from BJR this season while Speedcafe.com understands Matt Stone Racing’s Todd Hazelwood is a contender for his seat.

However, the 34-year-old confirmed talks to remain with BJR were ongoing at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 earlier this month.

BJR boss Brad Jones told Speedcafe.com this week that he was ‘pretty close’ to securing the identity of his final driver to join Nick Percat, Macauley Jones and new signing Jack Smith in what will be an expanded four car team next year.

Slade, who admitted at Sandown that he has thought about a worst case scenario for next year, is unconcerned by the uncertainty surrounding his future and is focusing on a strong end to a difficult campaign.

“No, nothing yet,” Slade told Speedcafe.com when asked if his future was any clearer.

“Not really,” he added when asked if it was strange to be heading into the final round not knowing what will happen in 2020.

“Hopefully, like any end of the season it’s obviously nice to try and come away with a good result so you can kind of go in to the break positive and happy.

“Obviously, we’ll see what we’ve got when we get there.”

The 2020 Supercars grid is beginning take shape with Tickford Racing set to confirm it will retain Lee Holdsworth for next season later today.

Holdsworth will join Cameron Waters and Will Davison at the Ford squad while Jack Le Brocq is expected to replace Chaz Mostert, who is set to lead Walkinshaw Andretti United’s new look line up.

WAU is yet to announce the drivers which will replace the Sydney team-bound James Courtney and Scott Pye, who has confirmed a move to Team 18.

It is believed Super2 series winner Bryce Fullwood is the favourite to join Mostert at WAU.

The identity of the second driver at the new Sydney team remains unclear as does the confirmation of its Racing Entitlements Contract.

Meanwhile, Matt Stone Racing is also yet to reveal its plans for next season, although it is thought Kelly Racing refugee Garry Jacobson will land a drive, with the second linked to a share driver deal between Super2 drivers Zane Goddard and Kurt Kostecki.