Buckley declares goals for rookie Super2 season

Alice Buckley has declared that she wants to be crowned the DUNLOP Super2 Series rookie of the year in 2026.

Her statement comes following the announcement that the 18-year-old will graduate to the development series in a Commodore run by her family team in conjunction with Matt Stone Racing.

Buckley has become one of the most highly-touted prospects in Australian junior categories in recent years, blazing a path towards Supercars.

Last year was a breakthrough season, with Buckley becoming the first female to win in the TA2 Muscle Car Series, and the first female champion of the Toyota GAZOO Racing Australia Scholarship Series.

Now, she has her sights set on ticking off another major achievement as she continues to rise through the ranks.

"My goals for Super2, obviously I want to be rookie of the year with it being my first year," Buckley said.

"But if I can get in the top 10 I would be absolutely stoked."

Currently, MSR stablemate Tommy Smith is the only other rookie confirmed to be contesting the full Super2 campaign as of time of publication.

Smith, the nephew of former Supercars full-timer Jack Smith, brings plenty of international open-wheel experience from stints in FIA Formula 3 and Indy NXT.

Buckley also briefly trod the path the Europe, driving at the Ferrari Academy in 2022, however it was an early encounter with a Supercars champion that saw her set her sights on Supercars.

"The overall goal for me is to get into Supercars, it's always been the dream ever since I was a little kid racing for James Courtney in his go-karts back in the day," she said.

"I've always looked up to it and it's been an absolute dream, and to get into Super2 is incredible."

Should Buckley ever start a main game race, she would become the first Australian-born Supercars driver since Renee Gracie competed in the 2016 Bathurst 1000.

The Gold Coaster won plenty of praise throughout her breakout 2025 season, including from seven-time Bathurst winner Craig Lowndes.

It's this confidence that has driven Buckley to now be on the final rung of the Supercars development ladder, with the main game well in sight.

"It's been a really exciting journey with the acknowledgement I get, not only on social media, but in general at the race track," she added.

"Everyone's been very supportive of not only having a young female, but a young female that is getting some good results at the moment.

"I've been very fortunate in motorsport and circuit racing, I've been very accepted and [people are] pushing for me, so that's been awesome."

The 2026 DUNLOP Super2 Series begins at the DUNLOP Sydney 500 from February 20-22. Tickets for the event are on sale now.