Super2 talking points: Three-way street fight to crown champion

The 25th season of the Dunlop Series is set to go down to the wire at this weekend's VAILO Adelaide 500.

After 10 races and five events, 42 points is all that separates Zach Bates, Aaron Cameron, and Kai Allen, and with 300 points on offer across the final two races, anything can and probably will happen.

Outside of the top three, there are four other drivers (Max Vidau, Jarrod Hughes, Brad Vaughan, and Jobe Stewart) who are mathematically in contention for the title, though they will all need exceptional circumstances to even have a realistic chance.

Supercars.com takes a look at some of the key talking points ahead of the the Super2 title decider at the VAILO Adelaide 500.

Can Bates add to family legacy?

A consistent run of recent form has seen Bates launch into the series lead following Allen's disastrous Bathurst weekend. Should he claim the Super2 title this weekend, not only will it be the Walkinshaw Group's first Supercars title of any description since the Holden Racing Team's 2009 teams' championship win, but he will also add to an incredible family legacy in Australian motorsport. Uncle Neal and cousins Harry and Lewis have all been crowned Australian Rally Champions throughout their careers, whilst father Rick was also an accomplished rally star. If the 20-year-old can secure the title, it could cap a remarkable year for the Bates family, with Harry and Lewis both in contention for the 2024 Australian Rally Championship. After Ryan Wood's stunning Dunlop Series season last year, a title for Bates would be just reward for WAU, and a perfect send-off for Bates who will drive alongside Craig Lowndes in Triple Eight's wildcard at next year's enduros.

Cameron the underdog journeyman with underdog team

Second in points is the driver who has arguably the biggest surprise of the 2024 Dunlop Series in Cameron. Driving for the small family-run Kelly Racing outfit, Cameron has been a figure of consistency this season, sitting in second place for all bar two of the 10 races run this year. The 24-year-old turned a corner with a breathtaking Saturday performance at the Repco Bathurst 1000 to claim his first victory in the category 24 hours after a heartbreaking power steering failure robbed him of a nailed-on second place finish. An animated Cameron was full of confidence post-Bathurst, claiming that the car was 'the best it's felt all year' and that his title rivals should be scared. Should he come from behind to claim the Super2 crown, it would be the latest chapter of a versatile career that has seen the Victorian take on the world's best in TCR after stints in Toyota 86 and SuperUtes. It would also be an incredible comeback for the revived Kelly Racing outfit in their first season back in full-time Supercars competition.

Allen looking to create Super2 history

Whilst just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong for Allen at Bathurst, he is still well within reach of creating Super2 history this weekend. Having dominated the start of the year to win three on the bounce, a dip in qualifying form saw him fall back within touching distance should anything have gone against him, which it duly did with two crashes, an engine misfire, and a power steering failure at Bathurst. Despite that, 42 points is a gap that can still easily be made up in one weekend, and it's a familiar position for the South Aussie teenager, who was 30 points behind Zak Best before last year's Adelaide decider. Should Allen rebound from his Bathurst blues to claim the Dunlop Super2 Series crown, he would become the first driver to win back-to-back Super2 Series titles, and only the fourth to win multiple. With a big move to Grove Racing confirmed for the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship, Allen will no doubt be keen to write another piece of history before making the step up to main game.

Battle for top rookie

Behind the fight for the Super2 Series, the battle for the best first-year Dunlop Series driver will also be one to keep an eye on across the weekend. Vidau and Hughes enter the weekend fourth and fifth respectively, both mathematical but unlikely title-winning prospects at 150 and 210 points behind Bates respectively. However, with 60 points separating the pair, the battle for rookie honours is well and truly alive heading into the VAILO Adelaide 500. Whilst Hughes will be making his first appearance at the Adelaide Parklands Circuit, Vidau's Carrera Cup experience will no doubt be handy at his home event. Whilst both drivers haven't won a race this season, there have been flashes of speed, with Hughes claiming a pole at Sandown and Vidau claiming three podiums this season. Vidau might also have an extra incentive to perform at home, as there is no certainty he is to return to an expanded Anderson Motorsport operation next year alongside Toyota GR Cup ace Ryan Tomsett.

Dunlop Series swansongs

This weekend will also represent the end of an era for several drivers and cars, with the Dunlop Series set to only feature the Super2 Series next year. Whilst the Car of the Future models (Commodore VF, FG-X Falcon, Nissan Altima) will remain eligible, the Commodore VE and Falcon FG will no longer be eligible for second tier competition. With Tony Auddino to race a Falcon FG as the sole Super3 entry this weekend, the Sandown Super3 round winner will be the last driver to race a Project Blueprint-era car in Supercars competition, as the curtain will also close on the Super3 Series as a whole. A TBA next to Eggleston Motorsport's #88 entry confirmed that Cooper Murray contested his final Super2 round at Sandown, whilst Matt Chahda is also set to depart the Super2 Series to focus on his family team's emerging Supercars wildcard program, though the Chahda squad is expected to run at least one entry next year for emerging talent.