Super2 young guns to watch in Townsville

As the Dunlop Series gears up for this weekend’s historic 150th round, several Australian motorsport’s up and coming stars will be on track looking to write their own name into history at the NTI Townsville 500.

The combined Dunlop Super2 and Dunlop Super3 Series will race twice over the weekend, once on Saturday and once on Sunday – both 40-minute battles.

Looking at past form in Townsville, there is a number of drivers to keep an eye out for in the feeder series this weekend.

Zak Best

The two-time runner up in the Dunlop Super2 Series is out to win it all in 2023 and leads the Super2 points standings by 48 points heading into this weekend.

Best is a one-time race winner in Townsville, claiming victory in the COVID-affected 2021 campaign.

In 2022 the Benalla-product finished second and 12th in Townsville – the latter being his worst result of the season other than a retirement in Perth.

Expect the already named Bathurst and Sandown co-driver to be the one to catch in his Anderson Motorsport #17 Mustang this weekend.

Kai Allen

The Dunlop Super2 Series rookie is seventh in the points standings after the opening two rounds. The now 18-year-old South Australian was a star in the Super3 Series in 2022 claiming a record 11 of 12 pole positions.

Allen’s move into Super2 in 2023 has been up and down, with two fourth finishes, a sixth and a 19th but he heads to a happy hunting ground in Townsville where he claimed a first and second placing in 2022 in the Dunlop Super3 Series.

He could be an outside chance of an upset in his #26 Eggleston ZB Commodore this weekend.

Ryan Wood

The Perth round winner has rocketed into the spotlight since the WA trip as a potential bolter into the Repco Supercars Championship in 2024.

The highly rated kiwi Porsche Champion has qualified in the top 10 in every race in his #2 Walkinshaw ZB Commodore in his debut Super2 season and won both races in Perth to jump into sixth in the standings with four rounds to go.

Two wins and one pole from his first three starts – Wood will be out to keep climbing the points ladder this weekend and will be one to beat.

Aaron Love

The West Aussie rookie who driver a Blanchard Racing Team Mustang this year for the first time, is touted as another big-name talent of the future among the star-studded field of 2023 Dunlop Super2 Series drivers.

He finished second behind Wood in the most recent race in Perth, equalling his second placing from Newcastle in his Super2 debut.

The 20-year-old Porsche star who scored 12 wins from 18 starts in a partial Porsche Carrera Cup campaign in 2022 is expected to be among the leading contenders this weekend in his #78 Petronas-backed entry.

All Dunlop Super2 and Dunlop Super3 Series practice, qualifying and race sessions will be broadcast live and ad free on Foxtel and Kayo from the NTI Townsville 500.

The Seven Network and 7plus broadcasting races on Saturday and Sunday.