Super2 rookie: You haven't seen the best of me yet

Garry Rogers Motorsport's Dylan O'Keeffe says people “haven’t seen my full potential yet” as he finds his feet in his first season in the Dunlop Super2 Series.

This year O'Keeffe made the switch from Porsches to Super2 with GRM, to steer the Commodore 2018 title winner Chris Pither drove in the previous season.  

He has enjoyed a string of solid results in his rookie year, including a best race result of fifth last time out and has only qualified outside of the top 10 once, in Perth.

At the fourth round at Queensland Raceway, O'Keeffe took finishes of ninth and fifth, from eighth and third on the grid respectively.  

He currently sits eighth in the points and admits results have not come without their challenges but hopes to finish the year strong, with three rounds remaining.  

"There has been some times where it probably hasn't been what I've hoped but that's the whole thing with Super2, coming into it and trying to have an open mind," O'Keeffe told Supercars.com.

"There's a lot of unknowns for me and just trying to get it all to click, because I'll hopefully be able to do Super2 again next year and then obviously your mindset changes and you want to go for the championship. 

"We definitely haven't seen my full potential yet, by far, so once we get everything working, hopefully before the season ends, hopefully we can get a few good results.  

"I reckon we'll be quite good at Sandown. I've driven there a few times but then Newcastle looks like a really tough little track, but Bathurst and Sandown I'm really looking forward to having a good result." 

Last time out, not only did O'Keeffe score a personal best race finish, he also grabbed a best qualifying result of third on Sunday.  

The 21-year-old stresses the importance of qualifying but admits the Dunlop control tyre has been a challenge to come to grips with.  

"Qualifying has generally been pretty good and I've been somewhat struggling on the green tyres, because you only get the one lap out of them on the Dunlop tyre," he explained.  

"Where previous categories I've raced you get three or four laps and get a really good chance to put a lap together.  

"I'm enjoying the pressure of having to string a lap together on the first lap and it's really rewarding as a driver, because you know it's high intensity and high pressure, and when you get it right, you obviously get a good qualifying spot.” 

The 2018 Super2 champ, Pither continues with GRM in the PIRTEK Enduro Cup with Richie Stanaway and has been of vital importance in assisting O'Keeffe in his rookie season.  

"Probably the main helping hand for me has been having Chris Pither there, obviously he has a lot of experience in Supercars and racing, just in general," O'Keeffe said.  

"The deal was for him, he's obviously co-driving with the team still and Garry made sure he would come to every Super2 round and test day.  

"He has been a terrific help for me and not only a great mate but he's full of knowledge, so absolutely I question him for everything and he explains it all to me.  

"One of the key helping hands this year has definitely been Chris and I've been enjoying having him there and helping me adjust to Supercars, which he has helped make a lot quicker."