Supercars 2023: Kiwi young gun Ryan Wood will be promoted to Supercars for Walkinshaw Andretti United next year
Walkinshaw Andretti United has announced its new driver to race alongside Chaz Mostert for 2024, and there’s already plenty of buzz around the rookie from across the ditch.
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New Zealand young gun Ryan Wood grew up idolising four-time Bathurst 1000 champion Greg Murphy and now he gets the chance to follow in his footsteps at one of Supercars’ most famous teams.
Walkinshaw Andretti United will promote 19-year-old Wood to the Supercars championship in 2024 to drive the squad’s No. 2 Ford Mustang, alongside series star Chaz Mostert, on a multi-year deal.
Wood replaces Nick Percat, who will part ways with WAU after two years with the team at the end of the 2023 championship.
The highly-rated Kiwi teenager was already in the WAU family, having joined the squad at the start of 2023 for his rookie Super2 campaign.
He immediately impressed with a pole position in his debut round on the streets of Newcastle, which was followed by a back-to-back race wins at the second round in Perth.
The Wellington-born driver said it was a “dream come true” to race in Supercars with WAU where his idol Murphy started out in the series when it was formerly branded the Holden Racing Team.
“My idol growing up was ‘Murph’ and I’m lucky enough he’s been helping me with a whole lot of stuff this year as kind of like a mentor-manager role and to start (at the team) where he started is pretty cool,” Wood said.
“It’s going to be a pretty special day when we come to the first round (next year).
“Obviously HRT and Walkinshaw have got such a rich heritage, so I’m looking forward to getting stuck in with them and hopefully I can do them proud.
“(WAU) gave me my first shot in a Supercar in general this year in Super2 and it’s just really cool to go through the Academy and move forward through their structure.”
“I’m just really looking forward to taking the next step and obviously it’s going to be a huge step up with everything from media commitments, driving and the talent pool in the main game is just ridiculous.
“It’s going to be a huge step for myself to learn all that, but I can’t wait to get into it.”
Wood currently sits fourth in the Super2 – Supercars main feeder category – standings with three rounds remaining in the season.
While he only made his Super2 debut this year, Wood said it was always his goal to try and earn a swift promotion to Supercars next year.
“My goal going into Super2 this year was to earn myself a main game seat if I am being honest,” Wood said.
“That has kind of happened and I am very lucky – I know how many people would die to have this opportunity.
“I have been working towards this for a long time and it’s just really cool to tick this box in my career and hopefully I can tick a few more along the way.”
Wood will become the fourth NZ driver on the Supercars grid next year alongside Grove Racing pair Matt Payne and Richie Stanaway and Brad Jones Racing’s Andre Heimgartner, while Triple Eight star Shane van Gisbergen is headed for NASCAR.
In his own garage, Wood was looking forward to racing alongside and learning from his teammate, two-time Bathurst 1000 champion Mostert.
“This year having the Super2 program alongside them, it’s been really cool to work with Chaz, it’s something you kind of dream about going against someone of his calibre and such a well known name,” Wood said.
“I am just looking forward to learning and soaking it all in …. he has been there and done it, so it is going to be cool to bounce ideas off him and go from there.”
While he remains focused on his fight for this year’s Super2 championship, Wood has already sampled the Gen3 machinery he will be driving next year at a recent rookie evaluation day.
Team owner Ryan Walkinshaw said Wood’s talent was “undeniable”.
“We are extremely excited to have Ryan graduate to the main game in 2024,” Walkinshaw said.
“His talent has been undeniable, and his raw speed obvious from the first time we saw him in a WAU car, so we are looking forward to watching his progression.
“His results this year have surprised none of us, and it’s great to see someone move through the WAU Foundation Academy so quickly.
“There will be a lot to learn, but he’s got a great teammate beside him in Chaz, who will no doubt put Ryan under his wing, and some really experienced people in his corner, so we can’t wait to watch his career unfold.”
WAU co-owner Zak Brown added the team felt Wood had a “huge future”.
“It’s fantastic to have Ryan in our team next year, in car No. 2,” Brown said.
“His rise through the ranks has been impressive to watch, and he immediately caught our eye with his ability once we saw him first-hand.
“He’s got a great team around him, so we are all looking forward to watching him develop even further and showing why we see a huge future with Ryan.”
Supercars veteran makes surprise switch
Bathurst 1000 winner David Reynolds has been confirmed as Team 18’s new driver signing for 2024, reuniting him with former teammate Mark Winterbottom.
After Grove Racing announced earlier this week it was parting ways with Reynolds at the end of the season, the 38-year-old will join Team 18 as Scott Pye’s replacement.
Pye will finish up with the Melbourne-based team after four years at the end of the 2023 championship.
Reynolds will cross to Charlie Schwerkolt’s Camaro squad after three seasons at Grove Racing, which followed a five-year stint at Erebus Motorsport, during which time he won the 2017 Bathurst 1000 crown.
He will be reunited with former teammate Winterbottom, who he formerly raced alongside when the pair was at Prodrive Racing Australia (now Tickford Racing).
And Reynolds could not help but reflect on the success the duo had the last time they raced together on the same team.
“This is just a really exciting time for me,” Reynolds said.
“I’ve worked with Bruin (Beasley, team manager) and Dennis (Huijser, crew chief) when we won Bathurst. We get along really well and I respect everything they do.
“On top of that, I get to race alongside ‘Frosty’ (Winterbottom) and people forget the last season we raced together, Mark and I finished first and third in the championship back in 2015.
“I can’t thank Charlie (Schwerkolt) enough. I’ve always admired Charlie and how he conducts himself and his team.
“Funnily enough I’ve always had this feeling that maybe one day I’d race for Charlie, I cannot wait to join him and his team.”
Reynolds has endured a tough 2023 campaign, sitting 16th in the Supercars championship standings.
But he looms as a threat in this year’s upcoming endurance season in which he will form a strong pairing with five-time Bathurst champion Garth Tander for Grove.
Team 18 owner Schwerkolt described Reynolds as a “great fit” for the squad.
“We are excited to welcome David Reynolds to Team 18,” Schwerkolt said.
“David’s track record, both in terms of his accomplishments and his extensive knowledge of the sport is impressive, and he will be a great fit for the culture we have built at Team 18.
“His addition to the team reflects our pursuit of on-track success and our commitment to secure high-class talent to our organisation.
“We look forward to a strong partnership and a bright future together.”
Grove Racing has already announced Richie Stanaway, who will team with fellow New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen in the enduros for Triple Eight this year, as Reynolds’ replacement for next year.
CRAIG LOWNDES MAKES BIG BATHURST CALL
By Rebecca Williams
Supercars great Craig Lowndes will mark a 20-year milestone with Triple Eight next year after extending his contract with the squad for another two years to continue in a wildcard program.
Still one of the most popular figures in the Supercars paddock five years after he retired from full-time racing, Lowndes’ new deal will see him continue his two-decade involvement with Triple Eight until the end of 2025.
At the age of 49, the deal is also set to keep the seven-time Bathurst 1000 champion racing into his 50s.
Triple Eight said the renewal underlined the team’s intention to continue fielding a wildcard program with Lowndes for the Supercars endurance events for the next two years.
Lowndes will this year feature in a Supercheap Auto Racing wildcard entry alongside Zane Goddard at next month’s Sandown 500 and the Bathurst 1000 – where he will make his 30th start in the Great Race – and 19th with Triple Eight.
Lowndes, who famously won a hat-trick of Bathurst 1000 wins alongside now Triple Eight boss Jamie Whincup in 2006-08, said he had always wanted to stay involved after his retirement to help foster the next generation of racers.
“I’m absolutely delighted to be continuing my racing career with Triple Eight for the next two years and I’m excited to reach a 20-year milestone with the team in 2024,” Lowndes said.
“I’ve shared some amazing moments with Triple Eight over the past 18-and-a-half years, and I want to thank Jamie, (co-owner) Jess (Dane) and the team for wanting to extend this successful partnership. It’s crazy to think we’ll be celebrating two decades together next year.
“When I retired from full-time racing at the end of 2018, I always said that I wanted to continue to stay involved by fostering the next generation of Supercars racers, which I’ve been fortunate enough to do through the team’s wildcard program.
“It’s something that I find both professionally and personally rewarding and a way I can give back to the sport that has been such a big part of my life.
“For now, I’m really looking forward to the upcoming enduro season alongside Zane Goddard and can’t wait to hit the track for our upcoming test days in preparation for the Sandown 500 in September.”
Lowndes, who last year partnered Declan Fraser in a Bathurst 1000 wildcard, remains one of Supercars most recognisable drivers and one of its most successful.
He is a three-time Supercars champion and sits second on the list for all-time race wins behind Whincup.
He boasts an envious record at Mount Panorama, sitting equal second (alongside Jim Richards) behind Peter Brock for the most Bathurst 1000 wins and has 14 podium finishes – nine with Triple Eight.
“Lowndesy is obviously a huge part of Triple Eight’s DNA, and for him to continue his legacy with the team into a 20th year and beyond is truly remarkable,” Whincup said.
“I’ve personally shared so many memories with Craig, highlighted by our Bathurst 1000 three-peat which I’ll cherish forever. We wouldn’t be where we are now without his contribution to the team and the sport as a whole.
“Lowndesy’s worth is just as valuable off the track as it is on it. His mentorship of the youth in our sport, as we’ve seen from the success of our Supercheap Auto Racing wildcard program over the past two years, has been unbelievable.
“For these young guns to have someone of Lowndesy’s calibre by their side sharing his race craft and experience is something they can only dream of.”
Lowndes will prepare for the upcoming Supercars endurance season with a test day at Queensland Raceway on September 4.
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