GRM ROOKIES SHOCKED TO BE GIVEN WILDCARD

GRM rookies shocked to be given wildcard – Photo: InSyde Media

Bathurst 1000 rookies Tyler Everingham and Nathan Herne are shocked, but elated to be confirmed as the Wildcard drivers for Garry Rogers Motorsport’s return to Supercars competition.

By DAN McCARTHY

GRM announced its intent to field a Wildcard entry for this year’s Bathurst 1000 last week and confirmed to Auto Action ahead of its print run on Monday that a deal had been completed.

In-line with its history as a developer of young talented drivers, GRM will field a rookie combination of Super2 racer Everingham and TA2 competitor Herne in the James Golding ZB Commodore that was driven to a near-podium placing at last year’s event.

An excited Everingham is eager to drive given the limited opportunities provided this season.

“It’s really awesome! Been a bit of a rough year with restricted racing with COVID in Super2, but it’s a dream come true,” Everingham told Auto Action.

“To be debuting in the main game at the Bathurst 1000, it’s really a big deal and I can’t thank GRM and all my sponsors enough for making that happen.

“It’s a massive opportunity, it’s a really once in a lifetime thing and a dream come true.”

Herne was stunned when he was told of the opportunity during the week after confirmation his Superlicence application was approved.

“Obviously coming from TA2, you’re not really in the pathway where you think these opportunities are going to come at you so quickly,” Herne explained to AA.

“It honestly shook me, I didn’t expect it, Dad and I were just driving back from Townsville and he was telling me that all GRM maybe wanted me to drive a Toyota 86.

“When we had the call the next day to confirm if I wanted to do it, I was thinking it was in the Toyota 86 not in the Supercar.

“After the call Dad told me it was in an actual Supercar in the Wildcard and that definitely knocked me for 20, I was beside myself.”

Both drivers have had experience racing at The Mountain, Everingham in a MARC Mustang competing at the Bathurst 12 Hour, Herne raced at the same event but in the Combined Sedan category.

This year’s 1000 marks a special occasion for GRM, as it will be 20 years since Garry Rogers Motorsport won the Great Race with Tander and Jason Bargwanna.

“I imagine that (the 20-year anniversary) was a bit of drive for them to step back into the sport but it’s really good,” Everingham said.

“I’m really looking forward to it, I’ve had a little bit of experience around The Mountain, so it’s not too unfamiliar for me, but it’ll be a bit different jumping in the ZB Commodore.

“We do have quite a bit of practice the couple days in the lead up to the Bathurst 1000 race so that that’ll be really good.”

Approaching the weekend, Herne is excited to learn from the experienced GRM team, whilst also teaming with Super2 race winner Everingham.

“When opportunities like this come in your lifetime you’re just going to try and maximize them,” he told AA.

“I’ve never really driven a Supercar, I’ve done one test day with Brad Jones in 2018 so it’s been a long time between drives in a Supercar, but I’m just going to make the most of this opportunity.

“I couldn’t think of a better team to do it with, Garry’s brought through Scott McLaughlin and all these young drivers like Garth Tander”

“I’ve got a good teammate with me in Tyler, he’s been competitive to Super2, I’ve got a competitive team in GRM and as I said before they’ve taken through a lot of young kids before, I’m sure they’ll be able to get my head around the car pretty quickly.”

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