Next month’s NTI Townsville 500 will see the 150th round of the Dunlop Super2 Series.

The competition began in 2000 as the Konica V8 Lites Series, with a grid featuring Ford AU Falcons and Holden VT Commodores.

Nowadays, 23 of the current 25 full-time drivers in the Repco Supercars Championship cut their teeth in Super2, with 18 of those able to count themselves as race winners in the second tier.

To celebrate the milestone, current Super2 drivers and series winners will gather for a special photo opportunity on the eve of the NTI Townsville 500.

Supercar CEO Shane Howard said, “The Dunlop Super2 Series has consistently provided a highly competitive platform for emerging talent to showcase their skills and progress to the pinnacle of Australian motorsport.

“It’s not just the drivers either, this series has played a pivotal role in helping engineers, mechanics and even some team owners progress to the Supercars Championship.

“The Dunlop Super2 Series has for almost a quarter of a century held a special place in the Supercars ecosystem. The 150th milestone round is a testament to the series’ continued success and importance.”

Ryan McLeod was the first Super2 pole-sitter and Wayne Wakefield the first race winner, at Sydney Motorsport Park, or Eastern Creek International Raceway in those days.

Dean Canto would go on to win that round, and the inaugural series title, before becoming the first repeat series winner, in 2005.

Steve Owen and Paul Dumbrell would also become two-time Super2 title winners, while nine series winners currently race in the Supercars Championship: Mark Winterbottom, Cam Waters, Todd Hazelwood, Bryce Fullwood, Thomas Randle, Broc Feeney, and Declan Fraser.

Winterbottom and Scott McLaughlin are Super2 Series winners who have gone on to win the Supercars Championship title also, while they along with Dumbrell and Jonathon Webb can boast Super2 titles and Bathurst 1000 victories.

Winterbottom, the 2003 series winner, said, “As a former champion of the Dunlop Super2 Series, I am incredibly proud to witness its 150th round coming up at the Townsville 500.

“It’s a testament to the series’ legacy and its role in shaping the future stars of Australian motorsport.

“Super2, or the Development Series as it was back then, holds a special place in my heart, as it gave me the platform to showcase my skills and make a name for myself in the Supercars paddock.

“All the teams in the main game kept a close eye on Super2 and it continues to be the case to this day when it comes to recruitment from drivers through to staff.

“I have fond memories from my championship year with Stone Brothers. It wasn’t just about the drivers, but it gave the platform for new crew, engineers and support staff to work their way up and provide exposure to teams, sponsors and fans of the main game.”

Super2 is nowadays the domain of Gen2 Ford Mustangs and ZB Commodores and has, since 2020, included Super3 as a separate class on the grid, which is this year comprised of pre-Gen2 Car of the Future vehicles and the latter Project Blueprint models (FG Falcon, VE Commodore).

Tickford Racing enduro driver Zak Best is the current Super2 Series leader in an Anderson Motorsport entry.

Tickford itself, along with Walkinshaw Andretti United, Brad Jones Racing, Erebus Motorsport, and the Blanchard Racing Team currently compete in both Championship and the second tier.

Triple Eight Race Engineering won the last two titles, making for three in total, but it is MW Motorsport which is the most prolific team in history with four Super2 Series wins.

The NTI Townsville 500 takes place from July 7-9.

Super2 Series winners