Bathurst 1000 rookies opt out of double duties

The Super2 regulars won’t contest the Bathurst round of the second-tier series and will instead focus on their main game campaigns.

Murray is making his Bathurst 1000 debut alongside Craig Lowndes in Triple Eight’s Supercheap Auto wildcard, having shone on the way to fifth place at Sandown.

McLeod’s big chance comes alongside Tim Slade at PremiAir Racing, a duo that finished 12th at Sandown despite a mid-race penalty.

Although both having shown flashes of speed, neither are in Super2 Series contention heading into the final two rounds at Bathurst and Adelaide.

McLeod, whose Commodore runs under the PremiAir banner, sits 10th, while Eggleston Motorsport driver Murray is 17th.

Eggleston Motorsport has confirmed to Speedcafe that it’s trying to find a replacement driver for Bathurst.

PremiAir has meanwhile elected not to enter McLeod’s car, allowing it to focus on its two Great Race entries.

A total of 20 Dunlop Series entries have been filed for Bathurst; split between 17 Super2 cars and three in Super3.

Callum Walker has not entered following his crash at Sandown, while Matt Chahda Motorsport’s Commodore is to be driven by Trans Am star Jackson Rice.

Eggleston driver Kai Allen leads the standings heading to Bathurst on 1032 points ahead of Zach Bates (906), Aaron Cameron (888), Max Vidau (747) and Jobe Stewart (720).

Allen, Cameron and Brad Vaughan are each driving in Super2 and the Great Race, lining up in the later for Dick Johnson Racing, the Blanchard Racing Team and MCM respectively.

BRT co-driver Jack Perkins drove in both classes at Sandown after receiving late dispensation but never intended to tackle the Bathurst double.

Bailey Sweeny has replaced Tony Audino in Image Racing’s Super3 Commodore, set to take on the Nissans of Thomas Maxwell and Cody Burcher.