Silly Season 2024

[stevo qld]

AS I wrote long ago, the driver's market could change depending on Smith and SCT.

Now that he is dropping out, I notice that he has two championships under his belt in lesser classes, so Well-done Jack, but like others you failed to fire at the top. Maybe GT4 becons.

Regardless of his previous obvious talent, he runs a family-owned REC (or whatever they call them now) and it has been placed as a customer on the BJR number 2 team. When one considers that the BJR number one team has not been better than a midfield protagonist in almost all races, the BJR number 2 team, paired with the Boss's son, has been consistently worse.

Good on Smith for giving it a go.

But this raises some important questions:

Will SCT continue to sponsor this entry?

Are there any decent Super 1 drivers available?

Will a promising Super 2 driver be elevated?

Will another SCT supported driver return from racing overseas and give the seat a go?

IF SCT opt out, will the REC be sold?

Could it go to Boost and, if not, who is in the market to purchase?

Will BJR also sell or lease the other team 2 REC and revert to a single 2 car team in Super 1?

There is a lot hanging on this, the only real seat in contention, apart from Macauly's.

[skaifeman]

And Edwards looks to slot in as Supercars "Director of Motorsport."
https://autoaction.com.au/2023/11/21/tim-edwards-to-join-supercars-burgess-heads-to-team-18

Does Tim Edwards slot in for Burgess next year as Head of Motorsport?

1 championship and 2 Bathurst wins in 15yrs or so at Tickford? Slim pickings if so. HoM should be someone like Jeromy Moore

Depends on what is required. For all of Burgess' success, still got it wrong.

On-track success probably not that pertinent. Although Moore would be a great candidate.
Edwards has kept Tickford afloat for 20 or so years, through ownership changes, name changes, multiple sponsors, the GFC and covid. Does he have any involvement in the road-going performance arm?

He's doing something right.

[Troy01505]

Timmy Tear up will go alright if the powers to be let him do the job as it is suppose to be done.

Unfortunately though, he'll probably just be another puppet on a string.

[AlbertM]

I'll bet Edwards DOM role has been brewing for some time. And it's the reason he is leaving Tickford.

Burgess badly flubbed Gen 2 and his indifference to getting Gen 3 right, he had to go. Probably got his notice the day he done for DUI. Going further down the rabbit hole. Burgess departure and installing Edwards could have been a condition to appease Ford so they stay in and it's fans. The news has gone down well with the Fordies across social media.

[stevo qld]

I'll bet Edwards DOM role has been brewing for some time. And it's the reason he is leaving Tickford.

Burgess badly flubbed Gen 2 and his indifference to getting Gen 3 right, he had to go. Probably got his notice the day he done for DUI. Going further down the rabbit hole. Burgess departure and installing Edwards could have been a condition to appease Ford so they stay in and it's fans. The news has gone down well with the Fordies across social media.

1. I reckon you would lose that bet.

Have noticed Jeromy Moore designed the Gen 3 cars, or so it is claimed in many press articles.

I am not sure that Burgess was there all the way through Gen 3, that went on and on for several years. 

I do wonder why they could not carry over some parts from Gen 2 that were well proven? 

I believe that Jeromy had a large part of designing sports racers in Europe. Maybe he underestimated the stresses of very heavy Gen 3 cars? But he clearly was not the final designer with DJR, 888, Ford, GM and Supercars having an input.

It is to be hoped that all the testing creates more equal cars, but mostly, I want to see less chronic parts failures in 2024.

[AlbertM]

That's cool. But i'm pointing out Burgess' less than enthusiastic approach to Gen 3 parity. Not it's inception and design.

[AlbertM]

Was David Reynolds pushed out of Grove or did he want to move on himself?

[skaifeman]

Was David Reynolds pushed out of Grove or did he want to move on himself?

Pretty sure they only wanted Dave for a year. Dave wanted a multi-year contract, which Team 18 gave him.

He's leaving at the wrong time, no doubt.
Penrite staying with the Grove's too.

[stevo qld]

We probably already know just how sacrosanct contracts are to Reynolds.

[Troy01505]

Most interesting part of 2024 for me is the young guys fighting it out all year.

How old is Waters? Probably the only old fella left with potential to fight it tooth and nail to the end

[muz]

Will we see Hazelwood back at BJR in the Jack Smith car? Or is there another cashed up rookie we don't know about?

[stevo qld]

Will we see Hazelwood back at BJR in the Jack Smith car? Or is there another cashed up rookie we don't know about?

We don't yet know if there will be an SCT car. They may sell.

(BJR only have 3 RECs or whatever they call them now,)

We don't yet know whether the other father supported car will be driven by Macauley.

We don't even know if BJR will be running four cars in 2024.

It seems a good opportunity for a cashed-up person or company to establish a two-car team, even if they initially pay BJR to run it for a year.

[SetonFan]

Will we see Hazelwood back at BJR in the Jack Smith car? Or is there another cashed up rookie we don't know about?

Zak Best appears to be the favourite.

[skaifeman]

One of the more surprising things to happen was de Borre leaving Chaz/WAU:
https://www.supercars.com/news/mostert-pays-tribute-to-departing-de-borre

I see now this was announced months ago and slid under my radar.
Chaz has since re-signed and ADB won't be in that picture. Any word on who takes his place?

[djr18fan]

Ford driver backs live pitlane for 2024.

https://www.speedcafe.com/2023/12/02/mostert-live-pit-lane-will-increase-competitive-tension/

I like it. Rewards teams that improve on previous years results. Prevents teams that have a slump in form from maintaining an advantage from previous years. Both of these could be due to driver changes. It may result in more variety in race, driver champ & teams championship winners.
Although I don't think the pit lane positions are a big advantage so may only make a small difference.