Gray has been the most consistent performer for Tickford Autosport, finishing in the top-three in five of the six races to date across Sydney, Symmons Plains, and Townsville.

That included a win in just his third race. Teammate Nash Morris is second in the standings with one win to his credit while Reuben Goodall is third.

Lochie Dalton, another Supercars hopeful, is 11th after a tough start to the season. He turned his year around with back-to-back wins in Townsville.

Gray, just 18 years old, wants to convert his strong start into a main game berth but is well aware of how competitive the landscape is among the incumbent Supercars full-timers and other Super2 drivers.

“Obviously, with doing well in Super2, some of the main game teams start to look at you. They watch very closely the next generation coming through that category,” Gray told Speedcafe.

“We’ve been trying to have talks with teams and just trying to get our foot in the door, but it’s so hard nowadays to get a seat with everyone already in there.

“During the silly season, some of the guys just move around teams and it doesn’t really leave spots for guys coming through the ranks.

“It would be amazing to get a full-time drive in Supercars, but it’s such a hard thing to achieve.

“I think we’ve shown this year that I can perform,” he added.

“Five out of six podiums so far is pretty decent for Super2 because you don’t know what’s gonna happen, if the car’s gonna be quick or if you’re gonna be quick.

“It’s been good to be at the front consistently, and I think it shows the level of experience and speed I have.”

Opportunities exist at several teams, but not at Tickford Racing where Cam Waters and Thomas Randle are locked in.

In any case, Gray doesn’t want to wait too long, but another year in Super2 isn’t out of the question – even if he does win the title.

Assuming Gray wins the series, he would join Zach Bates and Kai Allen as recent examples of a Super2 title winner going back the year after their triumph.

“You see some of the guys sit out a year or two, but I think if you do have to sit out… if you sit out for two years, I think that’s too long,” he said.

“You don’t have to get a drive the year after [winning] Super2, but if you wait another year after that, I think it’s too hard to get one, to get a drive.

“You sit on the sidelines and wait and it gets harder and harder to progress into that next stage.

“Making it happen as quickly as possible would probably be the main thing, but it’s not a massive priority to get in next year.

“If we can’t get in next year, you focus on the year after that.”

Gray identified Supercars champion Mark Winterbottom among his confidants but said his dad was doing the heavy lifting as far as negotiations for 2026 go.

“I definitely lean on him quite a bit because he’s been in the game for quite a while,” Gray said of Winterbottom.

“Anything you want to ask about trying to get contacts or anything, he’s there.

“But a lot of it’s actually been through my dad. He is pretty much my manager at this stage, so he’s really good at talking to people and getting information, so it’s all been on him at this stage.

“It’s a big thanks to him for everything he’s done in the early stage of my career so far, and I’m sure he’ll continue to do that.”

The Super2 Series continues at Queensland Raceway on August 8-10.