WAU takes Winton test chance

Walkinshaw Andretti United will take the opportunity to test at Winton, just over a week out from the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint.

A WAU spokesperson confirmed the Mustang squad will have both main game cars on track at the rural Victorian venue on Wednesday, nine days before track action commences in Perth.

All Supercars teams are allocated three test days per year — the pre-season hit out, and two at their local test venue. Rookie drivers are also allocated three days per year.

Wednesday will mark the second of three regular test days for team spearhead Chaz Mostert, with the two-time Bathurst winner to be joined by co-driver Lee Holdsworth.

Ryan Wood, meanwhile, will use the third and final of his three rookie days, with co-driver Fabian Coulthard also making an appearance. The 20-year-old rookie previously completed rookie tests at The Bend in March, and at Winton in April.

A four-week break between the ITM Taupō Super400 and the Perth SuperSprint has opened up the opportunity, with cars returning from New Zealand just days after the flyway event.

Last week, Matt Payne completed another rookie day in his Penrite Ford, with several Dunlop Series teams also hitting the track.

Testing ahead of Perth is of even greater value for teams, with the tricky, high-degradation CARCO.com.au Raceway hosting the first knockout qualifying sessions of the season.

Unlike the first three rounds of 2024, the Perth qualifying system — which will also be used in Tasmania — sees drivers from 21st to 24th knocked out, before drivers from 11th to 20th are eliminated, leading to 10 drivers fighting for Boost Mobile Pole.

The wins at Perth last year were split between Triple Eight Race Engineering and Erebus Motorsport.

The 2024 season will resume at the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint in May 17-19. Tickets for the Perth event are on sale now. International viewers can follow all the action on Superview.