Chahda eyeing high-profile Adelaide wildcard
By Andrew Clarke
Date posted: 23 October 2024
Matt Chahda Motorsport has asked for a wildcard entry for the Vailo Adelaide 500, but the drive may not be for Matt.
Armin Chahda, the father of Matt Chahda, has confirmed the team is intending to run a wildcard entry for this year’s Vailo Adelaide 500, with the intention of running a high-profile driver, with names like Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas being thrown around the Bathurst paddock as possibilities.
“We have something exciting to say, that we’re looking at running a wildcard in Adelaide hasn’t been a secret this weekend,” Chahda told AUTO ACTION.
“I’ve spoken to Supercars, I’ve spoken to a lot of people, and we have a few potential sponsors on board already and then after today even with the shicker we had, people still want to be involved. So, it’s pretty cool.
“We’re just trying to cut a deal with a certain driver, if we don’t get him, then obviously I’ll get Matt to drive because today was just a big learning curve for him.
“What people forget is, we had two Super2 drivers, not main game drivers and it is a big step-up.”
He said for most of the day his son and Brad Vaughan were lapping in the ballpark of the mid-pack, but a couple of spins and early contact with Chaz Mostert put them well down the order.
“It’s massive step-up, we did it in 2022 and realised how big it was,” he said.
“We came in this with our eyes open, we learned a lot at Sandown, and these cars are different to what we had in 22 and what they’re using in Super2.”
Even if he gets one of the two F1 stars in car, he doesn’t expect that will put the car on the front row of the grid.
“It’s not easy, but these guys we are looking at are next level calibre,” he said.
“Depending on if we can secure one or not between now and Adelaide or whether we focus on next year with them and put Matt in the ex Broc Feeney T8 car, I haven’t made that decision yet.
“We’ve got some pretty good backing, I’ve got some people behind it, which is pretty cool when you think where we’ve come from.
“We have a little workshop in Albury and all these guys here working this weekend are from the workshop, which is pretty cool, and we appreciate the help we get from Triple Eight and Supercars.”
He said he needs to lock down his plans this week.
Image: Peter Norton/EPIC Sports Photography
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