Relaxed Richie Stanaway heads into Bathurst defence

12:21 pm on 10 October 2024

Barry Guy, Sports Reporter

Richie Stanaway (Red Bull Ampol Triple 8 Chevrolet Camaro). 2023. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

New Zealand driver Richie Stanaway is a little more relaxed as he returns to Mount Panorama for Australia's 'great race.'

The 32 year old is the defending Bathurst 1000 champion after winning the 2023 race with fellow Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen.

This year he'll drive the Grove Racing Ford Mustang alongside Australian Dale Wood.

"Definitely the memories from last year are flooding back in," Stanaway told Supercars.com.

"It is nice to go there having won it last year and when you've won it you attack the race with a bit more confidence."

The Tauranga native debuted at the Mount Panorama circuit in 2016 before taking a break from the sport.

He was lured out of retirement in 2021 and is back as a full-time driver in the Supercars Championship.

Stanaway is one of 10 former champions in the 26-car, 52-driver field.

"When you haven't won one and you have a feeling that you have a chance to win one it's tough on the nerves.

"You just worry that something is going to go wrong and take away that chance to get one under the belt but having already got one under the belt I can just attack the race."

Fellow New Zealander Jaxon Evans will be embarking on his first Bathurst 1000 as a full-time driver.

New Zealand driver Richie Stanaway (Penrite Racing Mustang) at Bathurst 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

The 28 year old is well known for his racing in the Porsche Carrera Cup and GT Championships.

Having raced as a co-driver at the last two Bathurst 1000s, this year will be Evans' first as the primary driver at Brad Jones Racing.

"It's an exciting prospect first time as a main game driver, you have those extra sessions like qualifying and it's down to you and what you're capable of and so that's exciting and I can't wait to get going."

2021 Bathurst winners Chaz Mostert and Lee Holdsworth are among the favourites for the 2024 race.

Australian Craig Lowndes is the most experienced driver in the field with 30 starts and seven wins. New Zealander Fabian Coulthard has had 20 starts.

Six NZ drivers in 24-car field

Fabian Coulthard, Walkinshaw Andretti United, Ford Mustang. After many years in driving full-time in Australian Supercars, Coulthard has recently raced the Porsche Carrera Cup. He has competed in the Bathurst 1000 twenty times with his best result a second placing in 2022.
Ryan Wood, co-driver of Coulthard at Walkinshaw Andretti United. The 20 year old is one of three rookies in this year's race. After success in the second tier of saloon car racing, Wood was promoted to Supercars in 2024.
Richie Stanaway, Grove Racing, Ford Mustang. After being a regular in the Supercars Championship Stanaway took a break from the sport before returning full-time this year. He is the defending champion after winning with fellow Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen in 2023.
Andre Heimgartner, Brad Jones Racing, Chevrolet Camaro. The 29 year old has been a regular in Supercars since 2014, while his best finish at Mount Panorama was ninth in 2017.
Jaxon Evans, Brad Jones Racing, Chevrolet Camaro. After a career in Porsche Carrera Cup, Evans also competed in the World Endurance Championship. He's raced Bathurst as a co-driver the last two years, but is lead driver in 2024.
Matthew Payne, Grove Racing, Ford Mustang. Payne finished third in Super2 in 2022 and the next year was racing in Supercars. This is his third Bathurst 1000 drive with his best result sixth in 2022.