Pye feels 'as prepared as ever' after lay-off

There will have been 294 days between Supercars races for Scott Pye when lights go out at Sandown, but the Triple Eight recruit feels "as well as prepared as I've ever been for racing.”

Pye will partner championship leader Will Brown in the #87 Red Bull Ampol Camaro at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 and Repco Bathurst 1000.

Few co-drivers in the field will be under as much pressure as Pye, who raced full-time in Supercars between 2013 and 2023 before departing Team 18 last season.

After a strong first season with Team 18 in 2020, which featured three podiums en route to ninth, Pye finished 15th, 16th and 18th and was replaced by David Reynolds for 2024.

Triple Eight moved quickly to sign Pye for the enduros, but the 34-year-old has had an otherwise quiet year on track this year, save for a Carrera Cup cameo at the Grand Prix.

After another big test day on Tuesday, Pye said he feels "really good” and ready for his first race as a co-driver since 2012.

"We've got plenty of laps in, got a good race run under my belt and then focused on some speed as well. Just looking forward to getting to Sandown now,” Pye said after Tuesday’s test.

"I’m impressed with the team and to experience a co-driver test day with a team like Triple Eight has been an eye-opener and I feel very prepared, which is nice considering I haven't raced main game this year.

"I feel like going into Sandown, I'm as well as prepared as I've ever been for racing."

Pye insists the Triple Eight opportunity comes at a good time after a fruitless final three campaigns with Team 18, saying his newest drive has delivered renewed confidence.

"I've needed this break and turn up to two events a year with a real opportunity of doing well is what I’ve been wanting,” he said.

"So rather than turn up to all of them with no hope, I was very excited about this opportunity, and we all know that it's motorsport at the end of the day.

"I feel like I've put my best foot forward — I feel fit, I feel healthy, and I'm motivated to get back in a race car, which is the main thing.

"I hope we have two smooth events, and we can selfishly, in those two races, snag a great result, but then also help Will in the championship.”

Brown, who has led the championship since the Grand Prix in March, believes his new co-driver will be “really strong” come race day.

“It was a massive day for us today. Ran through our whole program and we went really well,” Brown said.

"It was great to get Scott in the car a fair bit today. I think he felt really comfortable, and you know it's great that we fit in the same seat and that the team only had to adjust the pedals a little bit.

"So yeah, really looking forward to getting to Sandown after today. I've known Scott for a long time, he didn't put a foot wrong today and did a massive job for us.

"I think he'll be really strong at Sandown at the end of the day. He was running top 10 at a lot of races last year as a main game driver, so he can do the job.”

Track action at Sandown will commence next Friday.