V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton insists that the category’s ‘on-track product’ is healthier than ever, despite expectations of a smaller grid for 2014.
The field could sink to as low as 24 cars next year as multiple Racing Entitlements Contract holders continue to search for backing in order to return.
The situation is being largely blamed on the current lack of revenue payments from the category to REC owners, which had been pushing $1 million per annum prior to the mid-2011 sale of the majority of the business to Archer Capital.
Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport, Tony D’Alberto Racing and Dean Fiore have been silent on their futures this week, but are all understood to have elected against committing to the new season prior to Sunday’s first entry deadline.
Despite such a situation meaning a rescinding of entitlements to vote and receive any category income during 2014, the four RECs will still be permitted to make the grid if deals are struck before the end of the calendar year.
Two REC holders have confirmed their positions within the last week, with James Rosenberg moving from Erebus Motorsport to Walkinshaw Racing and Paul Morris selling out to Dick Johnson Racing’s Steve Brabeck.
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The changes have left Erebus with just two entries and Tekno Autosports, which had leased the Morris license for two-years, with one.
“Historically we have some driver and REC movement at this time of year; that is certainly not unusual or confined to this season,” V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton told Speedcafe.com of the situation.
“There is a specific process in place which we are following. The final composition of the 2014 grid will not be known until the New Year.
“V8 Supercars has for 17 years maintained the largest grid number of all major motorsport categories, with the exception of NASCAR in the US.
“More recently we have successfully welcomed three new manufacturers onto the grid and expect more in the coming years.
“Never has the on-track product been healthier.”
The V8 Supercars field has consisted of 28 cars since it absorbed Walkinshaw Racing’s then unwanted fourth license at the end of 2010.
