Silly Season 2023

[Sonic]

Supercars is not motorsport, it's sports entertainment. Designed to pull money from the viewer. Using rolling billboards with contracts on how much air time these billboards get. You can't risk having a random entrant playing with the pointy end, taking up space. Like all reality shows, there is a script.

Yes Albert,

But I could argue that Supercar Circus business is Supercar Circus business.

The Australian Touring Car Championship, however, should be open to any licensed entrant and driver with a vehicle that complies with the regulations applicable.

Also, the cars should have a State Touring Car Championship to race in, for those that can't afford the $$$ or time to travel interstate, and also be able to race at non-championship meetings.

yup. Improved Production racing... this is where you find the winner of the ATCC (unawarded and ignored by Motorsport Australia)

[skaifeman]

Hazelwood to Blanchard and Slade to PremiAir both look like sideways moves to me, for both drivers - and both teams, but I'm happy to be proven wrong.

Feel like this move has gone under the radar given the timing of the announcement.

BRT punches above it's weight - Slade sits 10th in the Championship and looks to sit comfortably in the top 10 most races - under the radar!
It's a good move for Hazelwood, BJR always seems spread a little thin ever since Fabs left. Heimgartner is their #1 and Hazelwood can move to a team that revolves around him.

Slade to PremiAir is likely just to keep his career moving. Great move for PremiAir, but they need to give him the equipment!

[V8SuperRiley]

Hazelwood to Blanchard and Slade to PremiAir both look like sideways moves to me, for both drivers - and both teams, but I'm happy to be proven wrong.

It's a good move for Hazelwood, BJR always seems spread a little thin ever since Fabs left. Heimgartner is their #1 and Hazelwood can move to a team that revolves around him.

Todd isn't at BJR this year. He needs to perform in my opinion. He's had a go with a few teams and hasn't ever been super impressive. For me, he has to perform at BRT, or he might be gone from the grid.

[skaifeman]

Hazelwood to Blanchard and Slade to PremiAir both look like sideways moves to me, for both drivers - and both teams, but I'm happy to be proven wrong.

It's a good move for Hazelwood, BJR always seems spread a little thin ever since Fabs left. Heimgartner is their #1 and Hazelwood can move to a team that revolves around him.

Todd isn't at BJR this year. He needs to perform in my opinion. He's had a go with a few teams and hasn't ever been super impressive. For me, he has to perform at BRT, or he might be gone from the grid.

Jesus Christ, even typing it I didn't pick up my error. An even better move to BRT considering I didn't even rate the move to MSR!
You're right though, as much as Slade needs a car from PremiAir, Hazelwood needs to produce at BRT.

[stevo qld]

In the Bathurst telecast, Baretts, who has been around Supercars for a lot of year, showed that he has a poor grasp of mathematics.

He doesn't seem to realise that there are only 25, or possibly 26, full time drives available.

The suggestion that Holdsworth is retiring too early does not take into account that he has no seat available. He missed out in 2021 and 2023 was a bit of a fluke when the Grove fancied driver was denied a license.

I think retirement and a really good co-driver position awaits him, and I applaud his decision.

On the 2023 driver front, only MSR and PremiAir have seats left.

I think that PremiAir should axe the Coke Machine and the dollars that it brings and replace it with a Boost, Stanaway car. This assumes that:
1. Adderton was fair dinkum with his offer to sponsor Ritchie
2. Ritchie wants to come back.

I consider that Golding is a shoe in for the other seat, particularly after watching him this weekend.

There is a rumor about where Slade is heading, but all we know is that he declined a full-time contract with Cooldrive. He may be found a lucrative co-driver berth with a top team. Let's face it, he does not have a first-class result sheet in Supercars.

MSR position may be dictated by their sponsorship arrangements for 2023, but there are a lot of drivers will be hunting Matt for the drive.

[Troy01505]

May find Slade co-driving something with red and white

[SetonFan]

I wonder how many teams have approached Caltex after they backed the Chahdas this weekend? Perhaps Erebus would be the best fit for them in 2023 with Boost leaving

[Joe5619]

I wonder how many teams have approached Caltex after they backed the Chahdas this weekend? Perhaps Erebus would be the best fit for them in 2023 with Boost leaving

They have been backing them all year in Super2.

[stevo qld]

...
Did anyone notice how annoyed Moffat was in the press conference?

was looking at his face in some of my podium pics... didn't want to be there it seemed (at least in the position he was)

Is it possible that Moff was advised that he is not in the team next year?

Thinking further on the Tickford situation. I recall the owners being prominent in previous Bathurst Telecasts. One high profile, well financed motorsport enthusiast has sold out. It is now owned by racing stalwarts Rod Nash and Sven Burchartz. I don't recall seeing Rod Nash at Bathurst and I don't know Sven by sight but recall no interviews.

A lot depends on whether the owners are prepared to pump money into the business, or even whether it would be necessary. The sponsor turnover and extensive crash repairs might indicate that it is needed.

Tickford build and run excellent cars but are hindered by their ability to sign front running drivers and crew for 5 cars.

I can see a point where the current owners might be considering an exit, like Rusty, or a downsize. Reputedly they are both excellent businesspeople and successful businesspeople do not generate profits by investing in dead horses or ailing ones.

The big question is whether the 4-car model works, and all evidence seems to suggest that it does not.

There are buyers out there anxious to buy RECs (or whatever they are now called) and the potential buyers can afford to pay.

I could see a future for Tickford running two Supercars and two 2023 Super 2 cars which they already have.

The BJR situation is a little different as Brad runs a sponsored two-car racing team model, plus a second team consisting of a customer car for Mr. Smith's little boy and a toy for his own little boy. He might be getting tired of forking out for repairs to crashed Supercars too.

[LG]

For those expounding the 'trouble in paradise' theory with Ludo at djr, I hate to blow your theories/dreams/fictions out of the water but all is well...

[murph_fan51]

The stars could be aligning 

https://www.motorsport.com/v8supercars/news/adderton-outlines-2023-supercars-entry-plan/10385834/

[skaifeman]

Not sure why Supercars would be reluctant to give out the Super License. New team, new investment and they don't have to pay him for 2 years!

Call Adderton what you want, but he does put his money where his mouth is (and takes it away). The Stanaway story of Bathurst was one of the better ones.

[LG]

Not sure why Supercars would be reluctant to give out the Super License. New team, new investment and they don't have to pay him for 2 years!

Call Adderton what you want, but he does put his money where his mouth is (and takes it away). The Stanaway story of Bathurst was one of the better ones.

I think that the mouth is the problem in Supercars eyes.

[skaifeman]

Not sure why Supercars would be reluctant to give out the Super License. New team, new investment and they don't have to pay him for 2 years!

Call Adderton what you want, but he does put his money where his mouth is (and takes it away). The Stanaway story of Bathurst was one of the better ones.

I think that the mouth is the problem in Supercars eyes.

At worst it gathers interest though.



Slade confirmed at PremiAir: https://www.supercars.com/news/championship/premiair-racing-confirms-slade-signing/

I think MSR are the only ones with a seat open for the moment. Speedcafe had an article out recently with Fraser as the favourite.

[stevo qld]

Adderton might flap his mouth a lot, but it gives a lot of publicity to his company, BOOST mobile.

The only advertising that I can recall seeing for BOOST has been Supercar related, including their sending me an offer that I felt was far too expensive. One exception was a small flag on a light pole outside my balcony at Coolangatta for sponsoring some event.

It must be effective as BOOST seems to be rolling in cash. It he wants to return some of that cash on Supercars, I am all for it, especially if it provides a 26th car. It would be even better if he is allowed a 27th car, making a 2-car team.

The plan is to purchase a complete Camaro from a constructing team. I wonder if it is 888, WAU or Erebus and whether they can manage an extra car to their production schedule?