Dunlop Young Guns - Kurt Kostecki

One of Australia’s exciting new prospects, #55 Supercars Dunlop Series racer Kurt Kostecki, reports on his career successes and future endeavours after sampling the Supercars Championship earlier this season.

At just 16 years of age Kostecki first sampled Supercars racing, making him one of the youngest driver to take to the Dunlop Series grid in history.

“I had only just got my L plates before I made my debut in December 2014,” Kostecki told Supercars.com.

“I didn’t really know what to expect, but I’ve built from there and made big steps forward since then."

Emerging talent Kostecki has proven he is not one to shy away from a challenge throughout his career.

Kostecki was given an opportunity to taste Supercars racing at the highest level, stepping up to the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship for an injured Lee Holdsworth for two rounds this year.

The 18-year-old talent described his experience with Preston Hire Racing to be daunting at first, but he was grateful to have learnt so many valuable lessons and drive alongside icons of the sport.

“I got the call up and we used my car because their car was too damaged. I got to sit behind the wheel of a main series car and do two events there,” Kostecki said.

“I’ve learnt along and hopefully it equals faster pace in the Dunlop Series."

Kostecki’s NextGen Holden Commodore has been converted back to Dunlop Series specifications after being upgraded to race in the main game at Townsville and Queensland Raceway.

The young racer returned to the Dunlop Series at the Wilson Security Sandown 500, verifying his experience with Team 18 has heightened his racing ability, however noted he is in no hurry to step up full-time. 

“It’s definitely not easy in the development series either. I think people underestimate how hard it actually can be,” Kostecki said.

“It’s hard to be up the front and I want to be up the front of the Dunlop Series first and that’s some boxes I need to tick before I can move up. The main series is just another step up in general."

The young gun has further demonstrated his passion for motorsport as a junior mechanic at Triple Eight Race Engineering working alongside his idols and developing a wealth of knowledge as he chips away at his long term goal to be racing together with them.

“I’ve always looked up to Craig Lowndes, Jamie Whincup and Shane Van Gisbergen has really taken me under his wing for this year because I work on his car every day and he helps me out in a driving sense as well which is really cool,” Kostecki explained.

“Shane is someone I can learn from because he is one of the top level athletes in this sport so I’ve taken a lot from him and Triple Eight.”

The Dunlop Series will be on-track at this weekend’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, October 6-9.