'My last chance': What's behind Best's surprise comeback

Zak Best is back in the Dunlop Super2 Series in 2026, and he has just two objectives.

Win the title, and secure a long-awaited main game berth for 2027.

Much has been made of the 24-year-old's time in the development series, winning five races in his last three seasons of Super2, but finishing second in the points standings each time.

The closest he came was last time out in 2023, where he led the standings by 30 points entering the final round, but lost the title in a last weekend showdown with Kai Allen.

But now, the Benalla product returns after a two-year hiatus, rejoining a revitalised Anderson Motorsport, still with the main game firmly in his sights. However, he knows that this time he has to become the bride.

"I feel like I've said it for a little while, but this feels like my last chance," Best told Supercars.com.

"It gives you a bit of hope when you see guys like [Thomas] Randle and Cam Hill and some of the other guys have gone in with a bit of age on them, still the same as me, so I think I've got a bit of time still but I'd really like to be there in '27.

"I feel like at this part of my career I sort of need to be there, we're at that stage where it's sort of getting too late, but I definitely feel like '27 for me will be my year."

A big part of Best's quest to break into the main game will be Ludo Lacroix, who also joins Anderson Motorsport as the privateer outfit's Competition Director and Best's engineer.

Lacroix was instrumental in the development of the Gen2 Ford Mustang GT package during his time at Dick Johnson Racing, a package that won it's first two attempts at the Repco Supercars Championship with Scott McLaughlin.

Now armed with Lacroix in his corner, and back at familiar surroundings, Best is eager to not only learn off the Frenchman, but also make himself a more complete driver.

"I'm obviously very, very excited to have Ludo on board," Best said.

"It's gonna be great to be able to learn how to drive these cars the best that you can and to get the most out of them, but also learn what's required and what I need to work on myself as a driver to better myself for a chance of the main series seat in '27.

"Just learning off someone of his calibre is going be huge for me in my career, and it'll just be cool to have someone like that in my corner."

After 2023, it seemed as though Best would be lost to Supercars when he dabbled in one-make Porsche racing both at home and abroad throughout 2024.

However, Blanchard Racing Team threw him a Supercars lifeline last year, placing him alongside rookie Aaron Cameron for the Ryco Enduro Cup after Aaron Love's sudden departure one round into the year.

Best shone at Bathurst, running as high as second as the rain came down in the middle of the day, before Cameron brought the car home in ninth to equal the team's best Bathurst result.

However, Best admitted that he felt underdone, especially in a tough weekend at The Bend. He is eager to be better prepared in 2026 should he return to the enduros.

"I think it's still probably the most relevant category to Supercars. Obviously they are a Supercar, and you're sitting on the right side of the car and all the right things you need to do to learn to move into Gen3 and into main game," Best said.

"So that seems seems like the right thing to do and it's about staying relevant and being sharp. I felt like I lacked a little bit last year.

"I just felt like last year I was lacking, and I just needed to do more I think. The main reason was to do more and stay relevant and still very hungry and still want that championship. I'm just sick of coming second."