Adderton on “hard” wildcard ambition
By Andrew Clarke
Date posted: 22 June 2023
Peter Adderton remains frustrated that his attempts to get on the Supercars grid this year, even as a wildcard have fallen short.
Adderton has bought a Triple Eight Camaro and has run a very public campaign to get Boost Mobile Racing on the grid in 2023 but he has been beaten by a system that he says is bringing the level of competition down.
He revealed to AUTO ACTION it his “hard” to make the Boost wildcard with Richie Stanaway behind the wheel happen with time is quickly running out.
“We’re at a point now where unless we can get approval for Bathurst now, we’re out of time,” he says of the 2023 season.
“Our next best bet is the Gold Coast with Richie, and we’re pushing very, very hard to get that.”
Read about Adderton’s radical plan to shake up the Supercars grid and take a Gen3 Camaro to Le Mans in the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.
The Boost Mobile wildcard at Bathurst last year. Image: Mark Horsburgh
Adderton said part of the broken system is that running a wildcard outside of Bathurst requires an existing team to apply for a wildcard, and that Triple Eight, from whom he bought his car, has exhausted his allocation with Zane Goddard in the Supercheap Auto Camaro.
He needs another team to let him run but that teams are asking for more than $150,000 to let him run in.
Adderton says he has the team and doesn’t need any extra assistance, but even then, the Gold Coast is not a listed wildcard event so it would need Supercars commission approval for him to run a car at the event he already sponsors.
“It is ironic that there are certain events that are sanctioned for wildcards and others are not, and the Gold Coast isn’t sanctioned,” he said.
“We need someone to apply for us, and then if it gets knocked back, because the commission says no, then we can go and write another letter and appeal that saying that we’re the major promoter so you should give it to us.
Jamie Whincup and Peter Adderton shake hands on the purchase of a new Gen3 Camaro at the Gold Coast last year.
“It is so hard to get a wildcard, I’ve never seen anything like it. We are trying to add to the spectacle, we’re not asking for any money.
“In fact, I think I made it clear that I wouldn’t take money for two years if they sold me that 26th charter.”
For more of the latest motorsport news, pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.
PODCAST: The latest episode of the Auto Action RevLimiter podcast is out now!
In the latest podcast we discuss this weekends Darwin Supercars preview & news, F1 Canada preview, Winton ARG and LeMans 24Hour wrap-up.
AUTO ACTION, Australia’s independent voice of motorsport.
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