Chris Pither believes he is closer than ever to locking down a permanent driver’s seat in the V8 Supercars Championships.
The Palmerston North driver, now based in Sydney, was handed the keys of the No 111 Super Black Racing car at Phillip Island on the weekend in place of Andre Heimgartner.
His chance in the penultimate round of the championships came as Super Black Racing try to work out who will be driving their car for the 2016 season.
Pither, 28, said it was a dream come true to get behind the wheel of the car.
“It has been quite a few years for me over here trying to make it into the V8 Supercars,” he said. “When I got to step into the car, I was determined to grab my chance with both hands and was pretty excited.”
With the race doubling as an audition for 2016, he said he said the pressure was on to perform.
“It has been my dream for a long time to race in the championship series,” he said.
“I feel like I am closer than ever now. I just need to have a couple more good results and a few things fall into line and it could happen next year.”
He expected Super Black Racing to make a decision on their 2016 driver soon.
“Everyone wants to get it sewn up sooner rather than later just so everything can be planned for the new year,” he said. “With that in mind, I think they will be pushing to get something done in the next week or two.”
There is one event left in the 2015 V8 Supercars season, the Sydney 500 on December 4-6.
Pither was unsure if he would get another chance in car No 111 for that race.
“Nothing has been confirmed,” he said.
“I am still running the Ice Break car in the Dunlop Development Series as well. That is the final round for the development series as well as the championship so either way, I will be there and driving something.”
He sits fourth on the development series ladder.
Pither’s win in race three at the Ipswich SuperSprint in August made him just one of three drivers to win a race in the development series this year – Cameron Waters has won 10 and Paul Dumbrell three.
If he races in the final round of the development series, Pither hoped to force his way into a podium finish in the series.
