Team 18's three-year plan

Team 18 owner Charlie Schwerkolt believes his expanded operation will be able to contend at the pointy end of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship by the 2021 season.

The Holden squad underwent a revamp ahead of this year, bringing in driver Mark Winterbottom, Phil Keed to spearhead their technical department, and IRWIN Tools as major backers.

That growth will continue next season with the addition of a second ZB Commodore to be steered by Scott Pye, while Steven Richards has retired from co-driving to move into a full-time relationships manager role.

Schwerkolt has declared 2019 was the first of a three-year process to propel the team up the pecking order.

“We finished 13th [in the championship]. My goal was 10th but I tell you what, we’ve had a good crack at it,” he told Supercars.com.

“A little bit of bad luck sometimes but we had two fourth spots, [four] sixths, a pole position – overall it’s a fantastic start.

“It’s a three-year journey in turning the team around. This is the first year.

“With what I’ve got planned and where we want to take it with the best people, the best sponsors, the best equipment and two really good drivers with Scotty and Frosty, the goal is to be right up there.

“It’s all heading the right way.”

Despite missing a top 10 end-of-year ranking, Winterbottom’s 13th does mark a best ever championship placing for Team 18.

Having two cars will bring benefits beyond having full control over pitstops; single-car teams are forced to share a pit bay and crew with another car and team.

“I can’t wait to work out strategy, also work out tyre pressures, work out springs and all that sort of stuff between both cars,” Schwerkolt said.

“At the moment we have got to wait until after the session to get data from Triple Eight. This way it’s going to be all live.”