WAU Super2 test miles for Super3 front-runner McLeod

Super3 front-runner Cameron McLeod will enjoy testing miles in one of Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Super2 entries tomorrow at Winton.

Several Dunlop Super2 Series teams are set to take to the northeast Victorian circuit for a final test day of the season, a week-and-a-half out from the season finale at the Vailo Adelaide 500.

It will be an important outing for the likes of WAU pilot Ryan Wood, who is still a mathematical chance of winning the second tier title.

While the New Zealander is an outside chance of overhauling both Anderson Motorsport’s Zak Best and Eggleston Motorsport’s Kai Allen in the standings, his passage to the Supercars Championship is already assured.

WAU, which returned to Super2 this year with a two-car effort, has promoted Wood to its #2 Ford Mustang entry for the 2024 season off the back of his exploits in his first year competing in a Supercar competition.

McLeod, too, has shown speed in his rookie Super3 campaign, driving a Nissan Altima.

The third-generation racer has won his class in six races out of 10 thus far in 2023, but occupies just third in the standings after a double DNF in Round 4 at Sandown, where he ran out of fuel in one encounter and was caught up in a first-corner incident in the other.

The grandson of 1987 Great Race winner, Peter McLeod, also tasted success at Mount Panorama in recent days, completing a sweep of the V8 Touring Cars round at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst International in a former Shane van Gisbergen Stone Brothers Racing FG Falcon.

Where he lands in 2024 is yet to be confirmed.

However, there looks to be a vacancy in WAU’s Super2 programme, which is expected to continue as a two-car effort as part of its ‘Foundation Academy’ initiative which also includes a Toyota 86 entry.

Zach Bates is set to remain in Super2 and likewise Matt Hillyer, one of WAU’s young Supercars mechanics, in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia 86 Series.

Hillyer has also competed in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia Scholarship Series this year, and won the Australian Formula Ford Series title with Sonic Motor Racing Services.

McLeod, who cut ride day laps with the Blanchard Racing Team back in July at Sydney Motorsport Park, will be restricted to a total of 10 laps in one of the WAU ZB Commodores at Winton tomorrow given the outing is a Super2 Test Day.

The Super2 finale takes place in Adelaide on November 23-26.