Brad Vaughan one of several drivers in Super2 title contention
Second half of 2026 Super2 season to commence at Bathurst
Top six covered by just 117 points, 150 available per race
Brad Jones Racing rising star Brad Vaughan is forecasting a fierce title fight for the DUNLOP Super2 Series, which commences its fast and furious run home at Bathurst.
Series leader Lochie Dalton, Reuben Goodall, Campbell Logan, Vaughan, Ben Gomersall, and Nash Morris are all covered by just 117 points, with 900 on offer between now and the final race of the season in Adelaide, there is plenty of time for any of the six to make it home first.
Indeed, that's exactly what Vaughan wants to do, having started the season with a dominant victory in Sydney, after which he declared that his Brad Jones Racing operation were the "best team" in Super2.
A heavily backloaded 2026 campaign will see the final half of the season held over the course of just nine weeks, and it all kicks off at the toughest circuit in the country at Bathurst.
Vaughan enters the title-deciding run fourth, and the lone Holden inside the top six. However, form is on the South Australian's side, having tasted recent Super2 success at the final two venues.
"We're absolutely still in it, the top four or five are all super close, and we're only halfway through the championship. We still have three rounds left, even though it's nearly October," Vaughan told Supercars.com.
"It's going to be one of those championships where finishing fifth won't be enough. You're going to have to finish on the podium at least to beat the Tickford cars and Lochie.
"Bathurst is just one of those places where there's always consequences, and even going on to Sandown and Adelaide, they're all old-school circuits with high risk.
"It'll be cool going back to Sandown again. I'm actually the most recent Super2 race winner at both Sandown and Adelaide, so it's almost like I'm saving all of my best tracks for last."
Maintaining his status as the top Holden throughout the 2026 season to date has been a source of pride for the 22-year-old, but he hasn't fallen out of championship conversations all season long.
That's not say it's all been smooth sailing, Vaughan venting his frustrations with Morris after a controversial clash at Round 2 in Darwin.
However, while topping the Holden class is one thing, the BJR young gun feels that there is still championship-winning potential in the #80 Commodore that is yet to be shown.
"We started off the year great finishing the first round at Sydney tied on points for the round win," Vaughan added.
"Then Darwin was just a weekend of missed opportunities, and then we had that incident with Nash on Sunday which didn't help us.
"Perth the car was really quick, but we just couldn't qualify well. I know we have the speed, but we just haven't maximised it yet, that'll be our focus in the second half of the year.
"There's definitely pride in being the leading Holden, but I'd much rather be leading everyone, regardless of what car they're in."
Vaughan enters his third lot of Bathurst double duty in form, coming off the back of an under the radar performance at the AirTouch 500 at The Bend.
Unsung in several starring performances by co-drivers in driving rain, Vaughan flew from 26th to 10th in BJR's #14 Supra, on a weekend where BJR struggled for outright speed.
"I was actually really happy with The Bend. We struggled through qualifying and Cam [Hill] qualified last, but by the time I jumped out of the car we'd gone from P26 to P10 after 54 laps," continued Vaughan.
"It's sort of gone a little but unnoticed, but I was absolutely stoked to drive through the field like that in those conditions."
Round 4 of the 2026 DUNLOP Super2 Series will be held at the Repco Bathurst 1000 from October 8-11.
