Finals Race: The co-drivers looking to keep their stars in The Finals
There will arguably be more emphasis placed on the middle of the field at the Ryco Enduro Cup, as the race for the final berths in the Repco Supercars Finals Series will reach a thrilling conclusion.
Over 1500km of racing at the AirTouch 500 at The Bend and the Repco Bathurst 1000, the last seven drivers to lock themselves into The Finals will be decided, with 300 points up for grabs across both races.
Whilst there will be plenty of pressure on the primary drivers, who have to decide whether they will attack at the the enduros or play a conservative game to protect their position, the co-drivers will enter a high-pressure situation.
Never before have the enduros played such a pivotal role in the outcome of a championship season, with The Finals adding a whole new dimension to the role that co-drivers will have to perform across the next two races.
In the first of two articles to feature on Supercars.com, we take a look at the co-drivers in the cars that are currently sitting in a provisional Finals berth from 7th-10th in the points standings, all of whom are within 200 points of falling out of the top 10.
Harri Jones
Driving with Anton De Pasquale, 124 points above cut-off line
26-year-old Jones has been an absolute revelation in Porsche Carrera Cup over the past four years. Winning the title in 2022, Jones was within a corner of claiming the prestigious Porsche Supercup Rookie Championship in 2023, however returned to Australia, dominating the 2024 Carrera Cup title and leading the current season. However, arguably, there has never been a more pressure-filled time for a co-driver to make their Supercars debut. Jones enters the Ryco Enduro Cup with zero experience across both Supercars and Super2, and is being thrown into the midst of a fierce fight for the backend of the Finals bracket. De Pasquale has been a consistent front runner of late, and as such has earned himself a 124-point buffer over the Finals cut-off, whilst the team have sung Jones' praises in his limited testing and evaluation miles.
Declan Fraser
Driving with Andre Heimgartner, 41 points above cut-off line
One of the unsung heroes of the 2024 enduro season, Declan Fraser settled into co-driver life at Brad Jones Racing with aplomb. The 2022 Super2 champion was one of the fastest co-drivers in the field, though results went begging through no fault of his or Heimgartner's. His performance at Bathurst was awe-inspiring, racing just a day after losing all of his possessions in a house fire on the Gold Coast. Fraser is also pushing for a return to a full-time seat in 2025, and the Enduro Cup could be the place where he shines once again. Heimgartner's 41-point safety buffer practically puts him on a level playing field with the likes of Ryan Wood, Thomas Randle, and Kai Allen.
Jayden Ojeda
Driving with Ryan Wood, 34 points above cut-off line
A starring role at Erebus Motorsport last year has seen Jayden Ojeda return to the WAU fold, having made wildcard appearances with the team in 2022. Teaming up with Ryan Wood creates one of the most exciting lineups on the grid, and also one of the most inexperienced with a combined 62 career Supercars starts between them. Despite that, there's no reason that the aggression of both drivers could be exciting and gain huge rewards in Wood's quest to qualify for The Finals. Ojeda in particular has been getting regular miles across the globe this year as a Mercedes-AMG Junior Driver, competing both locally and in Asia. The Sydneysider is another who could be in line for a full-time drive next year, and a strong enduro campaign will only further strengthen his cause.
James Moffat
Driving with Thomas Randle, 20 points above cut-off line
Perhaps the most pressure of all in the Ryco Enduro Cup will be on the #55 Tickford Mustang of Thomas Randle and James Moffat. Randle has suffered a mid-season slump, and enters the long distance races just 20 points inside the Finals cut-off, however the addition of Mark Winterbottom into the Tickford enduro stable means the experienced Moffat trades Monster Energy colours for Castrol colours in 2025. The addition of an experienced head could be just what Randle needs to keep his Finals bid on track, with Moffat a four-time podium finisher in enduro season. A hard-nosed racer, Moffat could also push Randle to put aside any thoughts of conservation, and push to maintain his Finals berth.
