PremiAir Racing still has a co-driver berth to fill. Picture: InSyde Media
Matt Chahda and Kurt Kostecki are not the only drivers in contention for the last remaining Supercars enduro slot at PremiAir Racing.
Chahda and Kostecki both tested with the squad at Queensland Raceway this week as they vie for the co-driver role in Tim Slade’s #23 Nulon Camaro for the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 and Repco Bathurst 1000.
That they are in the frame is because Joey Mawson, who drove Car #23 during the pre-season test at Sydney Motorsport Park, does not meet Supercars’ eligibility criteria given he lacks Super2 experience.
“We’re still just trying to digest all the information that we took in from [the test], look at the data, look at everything, look at their lap times, and see,” PremiAir Team Principal Matty Cook told Speedcafe regarding Chahda and Kostecki.
“We’re nowhere near ready to make a decision. Joey is pending his Superlicence and the two guys we tested have their Superlicence so that sort of ticks one of the many boxes that they need to tick.
“As we all know, the test days are so limited. It was like, ‘Right, you two boys fly up, go for a lap, see what happens.’
“We’re not anywhere closer to signing off a driver but we’re giving people some laps to see how they fare.”
Chahda, who remains a regular in the Dunlop Super2 Series, made his Bathurst 1000 debut last year when Matt Chahda Motorsport stepped up to Championship level to field a wildcard entry at Mount Panorama.
He and Jaylyn Robotham would go on to finish on the lead lap in 18th, with the latter now seeming likely to land the co-drive in the #35 Truck Assist Racing entry.
Kostecki has three Great Race starts to his name, plus several solo driver outings from 2016 to 2021, with both he and Chahda not only holding a Superlicence but also having the requisite Super2 experience (which is one option to get onto the Supercars Championship grid).
However, they are not the only candidates for the #23 co-drive.
“No, there’s a few more,” added Cook.
“There’s a lot of interest, but those were the two people that were available to come and have some laps.
“There’s nothing in it yet, we still haven’t made a decision, we’re still just trying to gather all the information we can and see what’s best for the team.”
Cook advised that Dylan O’Keeffe is indeed locked in for a second enduro campaign alongside James Golding in the #31 PremiAir entry, having also tested this week in Ipswich.
The Sandown 500 takes place on September 15-17 and the Bathurst 1000 on October 5-8.
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