Triple Eight secures third REC
V8 Supercars has successfully tendered its 26th Racing Entitlements Contract (REC).
The grid will now expand to 26 entrants, a number the V8 Supercars' Board says will remain until at least the end of next year prior to the introduction of the Gen2 platform from 2017.
Triple Eight Race Engineering, which races under the Red Bull Racing Australia banner, secured the REC as one of multiple bids. The tender process closed last Friday.
"The bid process was extremely competitive amongst the bidders," V8 Supercars CEO James Warburton said on announcing the Board had approved the final bidder.
"It is testament to the great health and growth of the sport at all levels that a number of parties wanted the opportunity to join the Championship from next year."
Red Bull Racing Australia currently races two cars with six-time Champion Jamie Whincup and multiple series and Bathurst Champion Craig Lowndes.
The team signed Shane van Gisbergen for next year's Championship, with the confirmation of their successful REC bid making way for them to expand to three entries.
Upon signing van Gisbergen earlier this year, Dane said the chance to have three of the top steerers in V8 Supercars was onenot to be missed.
He also noted the switch to Gen2as a consideration when planning for the future.
"It's not often you get the opportunity to employ three of the absolute best drivers in the category," Danetold v8supercars.com.au in March.
"[That's] including one driver [Lowndes] who has been with us longer than anyone and we would like to continue that relationship, while we also build for the future... at the same time we want to make sure we have a long term policy of going for the next generation. So we wouldn't have done it if Jamie, Gizzy and Craig weren't all available and happy to drive for Triple Eight."
