It’s time for the Repco Supercars Championship driver line-ups to multiply as the Ryco Enduro Cup beckons.
There are two rounds of the Ryco Enduro Cup encompassing a second trip to The Bend in South Australia using the West Circuit for the first time and the biggest race of the year, the Repco Bathurst 1000.
Supercars will use the West Circuit at The Bend for the first time since the COVID-interrupted season of 2020 and the first time for the 500km enduro.
Penrite Racing was a major player in the co-driver market after requiring to make a double change due to Garth Tander’s retirement and splitting with Dale Wood. The team acquired the services of Will Davison to partner Matt Payne and Tim Slade to co-drive alongside Kai Allen.
Team 18’s line-up switches Lee Holdsworth to partner Anton De Pasquale and new recruit James Courtney joins David Reynolds for an experienced enduro driver line-up.
Outside of those changes, the most interesting is Richie Stanaway linking up with Blanchard Racing Team’s James Golding in a pivotal move for Finals qualification.
The field is light on for debutants this season as Reuben Goodall is the notable rookie and will team up with Thomas Randle for the two big races.
However, there are plenty of former full-timers making the transition to co-driver roles including Davison, Courtney, Stanaway, Jaxon Evans and Bryce Fullwood to ensure a high quality injection of co-driver talent.
Two Wildcards will feature at each of the Ryco Enduro Cup rounds, but only the Team 18 entry of Bayley Hall and Craig Lowndes will do both.
For The Bend, Ben Gomersall and Campbell Logan will race a Tickford Racing Wildcard, while Garry Rogers Motorsport will make a welcome return to Supercars as young gun Nathan Herne teams with the experienced James Moffat in a Chevrolet Camaro.
Not only is the Ryco Enduro Cup up for grabs, but the last spots in the Supercars Finals will be decided meaning a lot is at stake.
Ford has dominated the season up to this point and has already locked away the Supercars Manufacturers’ Championship in addition to its drivers locking away the first five Finals spots prior to the Ryco Enduro Cup.
Broc Feeney, Matt Payne, Brodie Kostecki and Cam Waters have all locked away their Finals spots, while Kai Allen is as much as confirmed.
As for the remainder of the Finals spots, Chevrolet driver Anton De Pasquale and the resurgent Will Brown appear assured of remaining in the Finals pending disaster, so too Chaz Mostert although he is 200-points behind the duo.
If Toyota’s reliability concerns become a reality, Ryan Wood is vulnerable to dropping out of the Finals race being just 114-points clear of James Golding in 10th.
A disappointing round at Queensland Raceway led to Jack Le Brocq dropping out of the Finals leaving Golding 55-points ahead entering the Ryco Enduro Cup, while Thomas Randle, Andre Heimgartner and Jayden Ojeda remain in contention.
David Reynolds is a distant chance to make the Finals, but given his form in last year’s endurance races don’t rule him out.
Also, winning the Ryco Enduro Cup locks in a place in the Finals, so a team outside the top 10 can qualify by scoring strong results at The Bend and Bathurst.
It’s Enduro Season.