The new wildcard rule will allow drivers like Marcos Ambrose to compete on a one-off basis in V8 Supercars if he does not return to the series fulltime in 2011.
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By Briar Gunther 2:16 PM Thu 5 August, 2010
Source: BigPond Sport
V8 Supercars Australia’s Board has given the green light for drivers from around the world to compete at selected events.
The Board has agreed to adapt the existing rules to allow high profile drivers or exceptional rising talent to enter individual events under strict criteria.
This strict criteria includes that the team and driver must be able to demonstrate that they can be competitive and must put up a $50,000 bond for non-appearance before the application is approved.
Meeting race points will be awarded to the entry but appearance or prize money will not be paid out.
These ‘wildcard’ entries are on top of the existing 29 in the Championship so that a full-time driver in the series does not have to sacrifice his seat.
V8 Supercars Australia (V8SA) has amended the rules following the uproar from fans when the previous rules derailed Marcos Ambrose’s plan to compete on a one-off basis at last year’s Sydney Telstra 500.
The two-time V8 Champion turned NASCAR driver instead attended the event as a guest V8 Supercar commentator for Fox Sports’ Speed Channel in the US, which broadcasts every Championship event to the United States and North America.
V8SA Chief Executive Officer, Martin Whitaker, has acknowledged that the sport could reap significant benefits from a one-off appearance of a high profile driver like Ambrose.
“This decision will potentially benefit the Series from sporting, commercial and awareness perspectives while giving our fans worldwide the chance to see a wide range of well known drivers competing in what is considered to be the world’s most professional and competitive touring car category,” he said.
“From the enormous international driver interest that we have seen in the Armor All Gold Coast 600, some of the world’s biggest names want to compete in our sport, as well as one-off situations such as Marcos last year.
“It might also offer an opportunity to a driver form the Middle East such as Bahrain’s Raed Raffii who just a few weeks ago tested with Paul Morris’ team and produced some impressive results.”
While Ambrose’s desire to compete at the 2009 Sydney Telstra 500 has prompted the rule change, there is the chance it will not affect him if he makes a full-time return to the V8 Supercar Championship next year.
It was recently announced that Ambrose and JTG Daugherty Racing would part ways at the end of the NASCAR season after a five-year relationship.
The native Tasmanian told nascar.com that a return to V8 Supercars in 2011 is “realistic” and that recent talks with V8 contacts “have been well received” but that his heart was currently with NASCAR and he felt he had unfinished business in the American category.
