Supercars is preparing to make a critical call on when Gen3 cars should filter down to Super2, with opinions split on whether 2027 or ’28 is the right option.
That debate is headed for the Supercars Commission before being put to the Board for sign-off.
Amid the spotlight on future-proofing Super2, Tickford CEO Simon Brookhouse has declared the class should follow in the footsteps of the Supercars Championship by issuing franchises.
Supercars moved to a franchise model – now known as Teams Racing Charters – in 1999 as part of efforts by its then management to increase the professionalism of the category.
Although no longer representing an equity stake in the business following a 2021 sale, a TRC grants the right to race in the championship and heavy fines are in place for a non-appearance.
The TRC is also the mechanism through which revenues are distributed to Supercars teams and are sellable assets, with value fluctuating depending on demand.
“For the sport to mature and add some value to the teams, the barriers to entry should be controlled to some extent so you just can’t come and go,” Brookhouse told Speedcafe of Super2.
“If you’re going to have a race category that is so important to the development of drivers, mechanics, engineers and whatnot, if there’s a licence attached then it creates a necessity to be really serious about it and I think long term adds value to the teams who have them.
“I’m not saying there would be significant value on them, but it’s more about legislating who can and can’t participate and therefore there’s some control for the governing body.
“They can say, ‘no, those people aren’t good enough to drive, we don’t want them in the category, it’s dangerous’, or whatever it might be.
“At the moment you can almost lease a car and put yourself on track if you’ve got the right [Motorsport Australia] licence.
“I just think it gives overall control to the governing body and also adds to the teams who have put a fair bit of work into it to add some value to what they’ve got.”
The proposal comes at a time of unusual stability for Super2, which has featured the same 23 competitors at all four rounds so far this year.
Super2 teams are now all essentially professional operations that sign young drivers on a pay-to-play basis, with budgets beyond $600,000 per season required.
Tickford is currently dominating the 2025 series with its four entries holding down the top four spots in the drivers’ championship.
Removing the ability for cash-strapped outfits to come and go from the series would be polarising, however it’s also a model through which Super2 teams could receive more financial support from Supercars.
“It’s obviously not going to be as significant as the TRC at the VCS level, but I think as people get a greater understanding of how important DS2 is to the fabric of Supercars in general, it evolves,” Brookhouse continued.
“There will be more people viewing it, there’ll be more sponsors attached, Supercars themselves can attract more sponsors to help Dunlop and then there might be a further distribution. That’d be a good thing for the sport.
“The more professional we make that, the lower the gap is to come through to the championship. I think that’s all round as a business model.”
While Super2 entries are effectively a round-by-round proposition, the series does currently include an ‘automatic entry’ for those who commit to the full season.
Automatic entries up to a maximum of 28 are guaranteed a place on the grid for each round and enjoy a reduced entry fee.
The Super2 Series continues as a support to the Bathurst 1000 on October 9-12.
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