It’s no secret that Triple Eight Race Engineering is on the hunt for a new co-driver for the #97, alongside Shane Van Gisbergen .
A trifecta of Kiwi drivers could be in the running for this highly sought-after seat, although it now appears that Richie Stanaway is looking likely to be in the best position to replace Garth Tander at Red Bull Ampol Racing.
If it does indeed come to fruition, it would complete a remarkable turnaround for the enigmatic New Zealander who “called it a day” on his motorsport career in the hours after the 2019 season finale, leading to him spending two seasons in the motorsport wilderness.
Stanaway, along with veteran Greg Murphy, made his “wildcard” return to racing two months ago, driving the Erebus Motorsport-prepared Boost Mobile Holden at Mount Panorama.
It was then that Stanaway demonstrated the talent that had created such excitement ahead of that ill-fated 2019 season, qualifying the #51 Erebus entry fifth-fastest in wet conditions in a Friday afternoon session and finishing the race in 11th position despite the car being spun by another competitor mid-race while Murphy was at the wheel.
Stanaway, though, is not the only internationally experienced Kiwi who has been linked with the #97 seat, with the names of Scott McLaughlin and Nick Cassidy also being mentioned in conversation.
McLaughlin, with his speed and experience, would be a dream signing, but his IndyCar commitments and heavy race schedule at the end of the Indycar season would make preparation for the endurance season difficult, pointing to it being an unlikely one.
That leaves the third driver in the trifecta of possible Kiwi candidates. Nick Cassidy, the highly experienced former Super GT and Super Formula Champion, would make a welcome addition to any team’s endurance driver lineup. He has previous Supercars experience, and his proven track record of being able to adapt quickly to any type of car he drives makes him invaluable in the new Gen 3 era.
At the end of the day, who wouldn’t love to see an all-Kiwi combination behind the wheel of the #97 come to the pointy end of the 2023 Supercars season?
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