As the month turns into August it marks just one month until the season of endurance returns to a multi-event format as the Sandown 500 takes its place as the warm up to the Repco Bathurst 1000.
Many co-drivers undertook a ride day earlier this week at Sydney Motorsport Park just after the SuperNight round and the final spots have been filled.
The final seats were at the Blanchard Racing Team as team owner Tim Blanchard was expected to contest the events in its Wildcard entry, but instead will shift to partner Todd Hazelwood in the squad’s main Ford Mustang.
Filling the Wildcard Mustang will be its Super2 driver, rising Western Australian star Aaron Love and returnee Jake Kostecki.
Kostecki was part of Tickford Racing last season, but was dumped by Tickford Racing following an indiscretion opening the door for rookie and reigning Super2 winner Declan Fraser.
Making a return via the Wildcard alongside long-time friend Love is one Kostecki hopes will be a success.
“I am super excited to be back racing in the Supercars Championship for the enduro season with the Blanchard Racing Team co-driving with my good friend Aaron Love. I am very thankful to the Blanchard family and BRT for the opportunity,” said Kostecki.
“Gen3 has brought new excitement to the sport, so I am looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of a Mustang and getting some good results.
“I’ve been close friends with Aaron for fair few years. He has done a fantastic job in the Carrera Cup dominating the front of the field and now in his first year in Super2, he’s finding his form very nicely, so I am looking forward to racing alongside him and helping out as much as I can.
“I’ll be going to the workshop soon to meet the whole team, do a seat fit with Aaron and get prepared as much as we can. With being the first year of Gen3 enduros, I am not sure what to expect but the team has done a great job building the car and getting organised for the program.”
Blanchard is excited to expand the operation at Bathurst by providing opportunities to young drivers.
“We are excited to give Aaron his first opportunity in the main series and welcome Jake to BRT. Both are young guys wanting to make an impression and we are keen to support young drivers by giving them the opportunity,” said Blanchard.
“Expectations are realistic but Aaron has done a great job so far this year and Jake is experienced enough to know what to do, so they could surprise a few people.
“The wildcard program is another key step in the expansion of BRT. The resources in preparing a second car is not small but that’s why we are keen to utilise this program to develop the team.
“For myself, I am looking forward to joining Todd and experiencing the Gen3 car. We have driven together before and obviously worked together this year so it should be a fairly simple process which will hopefully work to our advantage.”
The Blanchard Racing Team line-up completes the Repco Supercars Championship endurance roster for this season. Check the list below:
| Driver | Co-Driver | Team |
| Nick Percat | Fabian Coulthard | Walkinshaw Andretti United |
| Todd Hazelwood | Tim Blanchard | Blanchard Racing Team |
| Jack Smith | Jaxon Evans | Brad Jones Racing |
| James Courtney | Zak Best | Tickford Racing |
| Cameron Waters | James Moffat | Tickford Racing |
| Andre Heimgartner | Dale Wood | Brad Jones Racing |
| Will Brown | Jack Perkins | Erebus Motorsport |
| Anton De Pasquale | Tony D’Alberto | Dick Johnson Racing |
| Bryce Fullwood | Dean Fiore | Brad Jones Racing |
| Will Davison | Alex Davison | Dick Johnson Racing |
| Mark Winterbottom | Michael Caruso | Team 18 |
| Matt Payne | Kevin Estre/Garth Tander | Grove Racing |
| Scott Pye | Warren Luff | Team 18 |
| Tim Slade | Jonathon Webb | PremiAir Racing |
| Chaz Mostert | Lee Holdsworth | Walkinshaw Andretti United |
| David Reynolds | Garth Tander/Kevin Estre | Grove Racing |
| James Golding | Dylan O’Keeffe | PremiAir Racing |
| Jack Le Brocq | Jayden Ojeda | Matt Stone Racing |
| Cameron Hill | Jaylyn Robotham | Matt Stone Racing |
| Thomas Randle | Garry Jacobson | Tickford Racing |
| Declan Fraser | Tyler Everingham | Tickford Racing |
| Broc Feeney | Jamie Whincup | Triple Eight Race Engineering |
| Macauley Jones | Jordan Boys | Brad Jones Racing |
| Shane van Gisbergen | Richie Stanaway | Triple Eight Race Engineering |
| *Simona De Silvestro | *Kai Allen | *Dick Johnson Racing |
| Brodie Kostecki | David Russell | Erebus Motorsport |
| Craig Lowndes | Zane Goddard | Triple Eight Race Engineering |
| Aaron Love | Jake Kostecki | Blanchard Racing Team |