The announcement of Shane van Gisbergen’s 2024 NASCAR programme points to the likelihood that Jamie Whincup will drive in next year’s Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000.
His Xfinity programme includes races at Bristol on Friday, September 20 and on the Charlotte Roval on Saturday, October 12 (local times).
Those events clash with the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 on September 20-22 and the Repco Bathurst 1000 on October 10-13.
It means that Whincup, who added another Sandown 500 victory to his lofty record as co-driver to Broc Feeney this year, is likely to be back in the saddle in 2024.
The Triple Eight Race Engineering Team Principal had signed Scott Pye to cover the return of Richie Stanaway, van Gisbergen’s 2023 co-driver, to full-time Supercars competition.
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He thus left open the option of stepping down if the three-time Great Race winner returned next year, telling Speedcafe in October, “If SVG wants to come back, then I’ll happily sit aside.
“But if he chooses not to, then we’re covered with myself and Scotty Pye.
There is no choice for the New Zealander now, given the aforementioned clashes.
Just which of the Red Bull Ampol Camaros Whincup would drive, namely Feeney’s or Will Brown’s, is less clear, although there would be merit in keeping a race-winning partnership together in Car #88.
Cooper Murray is expected to drive the Triple Eight’s Supercheap Auto wildcard entry with Craig Lowndes, who is signed up to the Banyo squad through to 2025 now.
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