BATHURST 1000 CO-DRIVERS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
BATHURST. The Holy Grail of Australian Motorsport. In the COVID year that we have been dealt, the 1000km Classic takes on a new role with a particular importance placed on the co-drivers stepping up to the plate.
WORDS: Dale Rodgers IMAGES: Mark Walker
In our annual preview, The Race Torque reviewed the co-driver’s impact on the team’s chances however that was only a brief look at the role they would play.
Given the depth of the field this year and the pressure sitting on the co-drivers given the lack of an appropriate Bathurst warm-up, we’ve delved deeper into the copilot pole to see how they all stack up.
As such, we have applied a rating to each driver: Based on our now infamous Power Rankings we have expanded slightly to a HOT – WARM – COOL – COLD rating.
So, let’s take a look…
Red Bull Holden Racing Team – Garth Tander (#97) & Craig Lowndes (#88)
When this team came together in 2019, the ‘Dream Team’ label was quickly applied, and with good reason. Garth Tander and Craig Lowndes are without doubt the most successful Bathurst co drivers in any team with 10 wins between them. In 2019 the #97 Red Bull HRT Commodore of Shane Van Gisbergen and Tander finished second, somewhat controversially after the DJR Team Penske ‘Debris’ affair and the Jamie Whincup / Craig Lowndes entry finished fourth. Can they go better in 2020?
Either one of the two Red Bull Holdens are more than capable of taking the win. Van Gisbergen has come so close to victory on the Mountain that surely his turn must come, and Whincup is always a contender. This the strongest team combination in the field. The one they also want to wrestle back from the Penske squad is the Supercars Team Championship, and this is all to play for with only 100 points between the Bulls and Shell V Power Racing.
TRT Rating:
Craig Lowndes – HOT
Garth Tander – HOT
DJR Team Penske- Tim Slade (#17) & Tony D’Alberto (#12)
Big changes for the reigning champions. The Shell V-Power Racing Mustang of champion elect Scott Mclaughlin will see a new co driver for only the second time in his last seven campaigns at The Mountain. The decision to make a change from his long-time partner Alexandre Prémat was made early in 2020, ‘Frenchy’ making way for Tim Slade. This is Slade’s 12th attempt at Bathurst glory, with his best results to date being three 7th place finishes.
Seat time has been lacking for Slade, a problem for every co driver, but he has a new team, a new car in the Mustang, and a lead driver who wants to remove any shadow that hung over his 2019 victory. McLaughlin only has a win on his mind as this may be the last Supercars race he competes in. Across the garage, Fabian Coulthard retains Tony D’Alberto in the #12 Mustang for their fourth Bathurst race together. These two have had success with a podium in 2017 but are coming off controversial 2019 race. D’Alberto knows the team well and is rated highly.
TRT Rating:
Tim Slade – WARM
Tony D’Alberto – WARM
Tickford Racing – Will Davison (#6), James Moffat (#55) & Michael Caruso (#5)
One of the big chances for a win this year is the Tickford Mustang squad. Heading it up is another cracking combination of ‘in form’ race winner Cam Waters and returning star Will Davison. The demise of 23RED is well documented and it seemed only natural that Davison would reappear with this team. He knows the car, he knows the team and in the early season tests and races, Davison was the standout.
Jumping into the vacated Chaz Mostert seat in the #55 is Jack LeBrocq, who has also been a race winner in 2020. James Moffat is the constant here: he has done a stellar job in his co driving duties with Mostert in recent years and will no doubt figure again. Meanwhile, Lee Holdsworth has Michael Caruso in the #5 Truck Assist Mustang. Caruso did a great job at Bathurst in 2019 with Cam Waters and has earned his spot with the squad. This team has partnered up before and scored a podium in 2009 with GRM.
TRT Rating:
Will Davison – HOT
James Moffat – HOT
Michael Caruso – WARM
Boost Mobile Racing – Broc Feeney (#44)
The new team on the block – well, sort of given it’s a revamped 23RED outfit and a fourth car from the Tickford squad that features a James Courtney getting quicker with each outing.
It’s an interesting choice to put Broc Feeney in the car, however Tickford are running him in the Super 2 Championship and it mirrors the strategy they used with Randle in 2019. Big ask for the young guy, but Paul Morris has been tutoring him well and if he keeps a cool head will support Courtney very well.
TRT Rating:
Broc Feeney – WARM
Penrite Racing – Erebus – Will Brown (#9) & Brodie Kostecki (#99)
A roller-coaster season for the Melbourne team: No doubting the speed of the Penrite squad but consistency has been an issue. On the co-driver front, Will Brown flips from the #99 to the #9 with 2017 winner David Reynolds. It has been a tough year for Reynolds and not having engineer Alistair McVean in his corner trackside, appears to have hurt.
Brown will bring vibrancy to the combination and there is no doubt about his speed while a lack of any errors will define Brown this year. Anton De Pasquale has Brodie Kostecki alongside him in the other Penrite entry. Brodie has a very strong racing brain and arguably is the best of the WA clan. He will need seat time and must get up to speed quickly to match in the form Andre.
TRT Rating:
Will Brown – WARM
Brodie Kostecki – COOL
Walkinshaw Andretti United – Warren Luff (#25) & Kurt Kostecki (#2)
The arrival of Chaz Mostert and engineer Adam De Borre has energised this team and results have come immediately. Warren Luff remains with the team and has earned a strong reputation as one of the best co drivers going around.
Rookie Bryce Fullwood has another one of the Kostecki boys on board, in the guise of Kurt. This one is going to be a big ask, as the #2 WAU entry places a heap of pressure on these two young guys. But this is the big league and Fullwood has already shown a good turn of speed and maturity. Kostecki must mirror that.
TRT Rating:
Warren Luff – HOT
Kurt Kostecki – COOL
Brad Jones Racing – Thomas Randle (#8), Jordan Boys (#14) & Jack Perkins (#4)
The three car BJR entry has an interesting line up of experience and rookie status. Leading the team is the #8 of Nick Percat and Thomas Randle. Randle was a good pick up by the Jones Brothers: He will have seat time in the twin Dunlop Series races on Friday & Saturday and is an impressive young man. He’s perfectly suited to Nick Percat and the best chance the Albury team has of success.
In the #14 entry, Todd Hazelwood has delivered strong performances including his first podium at SMP earlier this year. Jordan Boys is another Dunlop Series runner, but unlike Randle, this is a huge step up for him. He came home with a head of steam in the 2019 Dunlop Series with a couple of race wins, but with only two full seasons of Super 2 competition on his CV, this is going to be a big challenge.
The #4 Commodore of Jack Smith has won Tatslotto by picking up an ‘out of work’ Jack Perkins. Some pundits have already said that Smith is the Co-Driver in this combo, but Perkins will fill that role with huge credentials. One of the strongest co drivers in recent years, Jack had a 23RED deal in his pocket before the demise of that team.
TRT Rating:
Thomas Randle – WARM
Jordan Boys – COOL
Jack Perkins – WARM
Team CoolDrive – Tim Blanchard (#3)
Team owner Tim Blanchard returns to the #3 Cool Drive Commodore run out of BJR with Macauley Jones.
The pair teamed up in 2018 after Blanchard ceased full time driving, but a year later Tim ran with Percat. Blanchard has some solid Bathurst performances, however his infrequent time in a race car over the last two seasons could come into play.
TRT Rating:
Tim Blanchard – COOL
Team 18 – James Golding (#18) & Dean Fiore (#20)
Carlie Schewrkolt’s team has put in some very good performances this year and go to Bathurst with a head of steam. Joining Frosty in #18 is James Golding. Sitting out the Supercars Championship after the withdrawal of GRM, ‘Bieber’ is fast and drove very well in 2019 so this will be a strong combination.
In #20, Scott Pye has Dean Fiore on board. Fiore is no stranger to Bathurst, and this will be his 12th Great Race start, with half of them at the wheel of a Nissan Altima. His best finish is a 6th place with Caruso in 2017. Safe hands, but questions over race fitness?
TRT Rating:
James Golding – WARM
Dean Fiore – COOL
Kelly Racing – Dale Wood (#15) & Dylan O’Keefe (#7)
The Kelly Brothers have done a massive job in 2020 under extreme conditions to get their Mustang’s on and up the grid. The #15 Castrol car sees Rick Kelly and Dale Wood at the reigns. Wood has raced for many teams at Bathurst and he is back again with Rick – his third period with Kelly’s having first raced with them back in 2009! Had a strong year in 2019 in Porsche Carrera Cup, and was looking for a full campaign again in 2020.
On the other side of the garage is one of the star performers of 2020 in the #7 NED Mustang. Andre Heimgartner has shown great speed and will be joined by Dylan O’Keefe. Another Porsche and Super 2 graduate, O’Keefe will make his first Great Race Start this hear. He only has one other Supercars main-game start to his credit, when the Richie Stanaway was stood down from Race 27 for disciplinary reasons at the Gold Coast 600.
TRT Rating:
Dale Wood – WARM
Dylan O’Keefe – COOL
Matt Stone Racing – Jake Kostecki (#34) & David Russell (#35)
The expanded two car team heads to the Mountain with a degree of experience across the co drivers. David Russell joins Gary Jacobson in the stronger of the pairings. Russell is no stranger to Bathurst, but his outings now are few and far between. He had an unbroken 7-year stint with the Kelly’s netting him a best placing of 8th, but other results have been hard to come by.
The #34 Unit Commodore is the SuperLite shared car of Zane Goddard and Jake Kostecki. Although Kostecki is listed as the co-driver they are both young and inexperienced, though both have shown speed throughout the season proper. A big ask for both the MSR drivers.
TRT Rating:
David Russell – COOL
Jake Kostecki – COOL
Team Sydney – Jono Webb (#19) & Steve Owen (#22)
An ambitious project which has yet to bear fruit and Bathurst looks like another hard slog for Team Sydney. Alex Davison was drafted into the #19 after Adelaide and he has team owner Jono Webb alongside him. Webb has driven less and less in recent years but has shown his talent particularly at the usual curtain raiser at Sandown in the Co-Driver races. Is he rusty this year and too focused on the running of the team?
In the #22 Coke car, Chris Pither has partnered with journeyman Steve Owen. At 45 years of age, one can’t help thinking that he may be heading for the same destiny as Luke Youlden. Missing a drive in 2019 broke a 20-year streak at the Mountain – hugely experienced, he has two podium finishes to his credit but has no racing miles in 2020.
TRT Rating:
Jono Webb – COOL
Steve Owen – COOL
GRM – Jayden Ojeda (#40)
Every race fan will be glad to see Garry Rogers back at Mount Panorama. The trials of getting Nathan Herne a Super License has dominated this team’s preparation for the 2020 race, and Garry was forced to make a late change. Arguably a better ‘turn-key’ option than Herne, Jayden Ojeda now steps into the co drivers’ seat.
Ojeda, who has raced at Bathurst in a Formula Ford and a BMW Production car, will also run his MW Motorsport Nissan Altima in the Super 2 races. This pair now looks a lot stronger and with experienced engineer Richard ‘Krusty’ Holloway to guide them could enjoy a solid result.
TRT Rating:
Jayden Ojeda – COOL
Dale Rodgers (author)
Dale Rodgers is a Motorsport industry luminary with more years working in and around the sport than he would allow us to publish here. An expert photographer, journalist and marketing / PR guru, Rodgers spent 10 years running Revolution Racegear before assuming the head PR role at DJR Team Penske in 2012. Fun Fact, you’ll find many of his images in the famous Australian Motor Racing yearbooks, published through the mid to late 1990s.
