Teenager McLeod secures PremiAir co-drive

PremiAir Nulon Racing has announced rising star Cameron McLeod will partner Tim Slade at the upcoming endurance races.

Third-generation racer McLeod will share the #23 PremiAir Nulon Camaro with Slade at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 and Repco Bathurst 1000.

McLeod, who races his Dunlop Series Commodore out of the PremiAir Racing stable, is the son of racer Ryan and the grandson of 1987 Bathurst 1000 winner Peter.

The teenager, who will turn 20 in December, was trackside with Peter Xiberras' squad at last weekend's betr Darwin Triple Crown.

The Queenslander also steered a PremiAir Camaro at a recent test day at Queensland Raceway, setting McLeod on his path to a Supercars debut.

“I am very keen for this opportunity. This is the year that we were hoping we would be able to secure a co-drive and we have put a lot of effort into getting to this point and to where we are now," McLeod said.

"I am very grateful to Peter Xiberras and all of the PremiAir Nulon Racing boys and girls that have put their support and faith behind me with this co-drive position.

"It is good to be partnering with Tim as well – back in 2021 he came out to a Formula Ford round and helped me out and we have also done a 12 Hour together, so I think it is a good match and I can’t wait to get started.”

McLeod is fifth in the Super2 standings after two rounds, but heads to Townsville in the wake of a scary crash following contact from Cooper Murray.

McLeod and Murray (Triple Eight wildcard) will be joined on the Great Race grid with Super2 rivals Kai Allen (Dick Johnson Racing) and Matt Chahda (Matt Chahda Motorsport wildcard), with Aaron Cameron and Cameron Crick have also been linked to co-drives with Blanchard Racing Team and Matt Stone Racing respectively.

Slade, who will make his 16th Bathurst start, said: “I have a bit of a connection with the McLeods going back to my first year in the main Supercars championship, as Camy’s dad Ryan was on the radio in my first Bathurst 1000 with Paul Morris and Supercheap Auto Racing.

"Then in 2021 in the COVID break we had that year, I wasn’t really doing too much, and Ryan asked if I could come and work with Camy in Formula Ford at Morgan Park, so I first got to know him and his driving then.

"Since then, I have spoken to Ryan a bit about Camy and his career, and I have had a bit to do with them in Super2 this year as well. I am excited to have him as my co-driver. He cut some laps at the latest test day, too, and he was comfortable, so I think it should be a pretty good partnership."

Team Manager Stephen Robertson added: “PremiAir Nulon Racing has a strong relationship already with the McLeod family through our support of Cameron’s Super2 campaign and we are very pleased to be expanding that relationship now by having Cam join us as co-driver for Tim Slade in the 2024 endurance races.

"Obviously, he is an up-and-coming star and we have been impressed with his Super2 performances this year and how he performed during our recent Queensland Raceway test day.

"With he and Tim having a previously standing working relationship also, we are very confident this will be a strong partnership and we can’t wait to see what they can achieve together at Sandown and Bathurst later this year."

McLeod will resume his Dunlop Series campaign at the NTI Townsville 500 on July 5-7.

2024 enduro line-ups: What we know so far (as of June 19, 2024)