Luff factor motivating Pye for enduros

Pye and Luff reunite at Team 18, four years after last race together
Pye and Luff finished second in 2017, 2018 Bathurst 1000s
Only one combo on 2023 grid has more combined starts as pairing than Pye/Luff

Having Warren Luff in his corner has Team 18 driver Scott Pye full of confidence heading to the longest races of the season.

Pye and Luff will share the #20 Team 18 Chevrolet Camaro at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 and Repco Bathurst 1000.

Team 18 secured the services of gun co-driver Luff on loan from Walkinshaw Andretti United, where Pye raced between 2017 and 2019. Luff was Pye’s co-driver in that time, the pair racing to the Bathurst podium in 2017 and 2018.

When it comes to combined Bathurst starts, only Davison brothers Will and Alex (six) have raced together more times than Pye and Luff's three attempts together.

In fact, the Pye/Luff and Davison/Davison pairings are the only pairings on the 2023 grid to have contested a Sandown 500, which will be held for the first time since 2019.

The veteran co-driver’s only Gen3 laps prior to last week’s pre-enduro test came in the Sydney ride day, with Pye pleased Luff could enjoy a full day at Winton last week.

“All in all, it was a really good day. We had Luffy behind the wheel for the majority of the day,” said Pye, who will depart Team 18 at the end of the season.

"I did the minority of the work today but really endurance test days rather, are all about getting him up to speed, making sure he’s comfortable as today was his first opportunity in anger behind the wheel.

“I think he enjoyed the new Gen3 car. He did a fantastic job as always.

"It's good to have Luffy behind the wheel again and it gives me a lot of confidence going into the endurance events, knowing that he's behind the wheel with me."

Luff has enjoyed a strong run in Supercars’ longest races, notably winning the 2012 Sandown 500 with Craig Lowndes while at Triple Eight Race Engineering.

He also won the 2013 PIRTEK Enduro Cup with Lowndes, and they finished on the Bathurst podium together in 2012 and 2013.

Luff moved to the Holden Racing Team in 2014 and finished third with Garth Tander in 2015, again winning the Enduro Cup, before adding podiums with Pye in 2017 and 2018, and Chaz Mostert in 2020.

“It was great to get plenty of laps in today, get to experience Gen3 in all its anger,” Luff said.

“We got to have a drive at a ride day last month at Sydney, but it was really good to get a whole bunch of laps today and understand and get a better feel for what the Gen 3 car is all about.

“I did a lot of pit stops, did some brake changes, did some really good driver changes, so really pumped to be back with my mate Scott Pye.

"Obviously we've had some good success in the enduros in the past, so looking forward to trying to replicate that, maybe even go one step better at Bathurst.

“I’m excited for Sandown in a couple of weeks and can't wait to see everyone there.”

Supercars will hit the track on Friday for practice at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500. Tickets are on sale now.