Two Kiwi drivers are scrapping over the final spots on the 2017 Supercars grid.
Chris Pither and Andre Heimgartner drove fulltime in the series this year but are yet to secure a seat in next year’s championship and now there is only one team left searching for drivers – Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport.
Heimgartner drove one of two Holden Commodores run by LDM in 2016 and he is confident they will get a deal across the line by mid-January.
“Most likely with LDM – it is the only real space left in the category” the 21-year-old tells herald.co.nz.
“We are trying pretty hard to do something there.
“We are closing in on something hopefully over the next couple of weeks.
“There is still a lot to do with sponsors and a few other things lining up so we are just getting all those things together at the moment.
“Hopefully we will be on the grid again next year in a more competitive car.”
LDM ran two cars in a disappointing season in 2016 – Nick Percat drove the other Holden but he has signed on to drive for Brad Jones Racing leaving open the possibility of LDM needing two drivers.
However there are a number of out-of-contract drivers searching for a Racing Entitlements Contract which makes selling or leasing a REC out to a rival team a lucrative proposition for a team that is strapped for cash.
“They have a few options – there are a few people out there looking for RECs to run cars,” Heimgartner says although he admits he hasn’t spoken to the team directly about whether there is one or two seats available.
Heimgartner knows that Pither is one of those drivers hoping to get a deal to drive fulltime and that LDM remains the only real option at this point.
“There is always the possibility we can be teammates but I’m not sure what he is doing at the moment.
“I assume he will be talking to Lucas as well.”
“I haven’t got any real plans at this stage. Obviously I’m still hoping to be in Supercars fulltime but if that doesn’t happen then I will have a look at co driver options.
“There are still a few seats that aren’t totally confirmed.”
Pither had spent last season with Super Black Racing and showed some promise this year but the passing of team owner Tony Lentino brought ownership challenges to the operation. Pither appeared to be set for a 2017 seat when Rusty French purchased Super Black Racing’s REC from Lentino’s estate but a late change of plans saw the Kiwi outfit take a year out from the sport.
“I thought things were coming together there for next year. Rusty (French) had got the REC and I thought we were going to be doing something with that but it all kind of fell over quite late in the piece.
“It is very frustrating. I don’t have the money to go out and make it happen so I am just waiting.”
Should a fulltime drive not come up Pither says he would look at other categories and would also consider a co-driver role for the endurance series.
“I’d look at doing some GT racing too maybe.”
Heimgartner too would see a co-driver role as the fallback option.
“Doing a co-drive role would probably be the next best thing – a good team and a good driver and getting good results could be just as rewarding.”
A decision will most likely be made on the remaining seats by mid-January.
