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GRM Could Return To Supercars

Garry Rogers Motorsport could be back in Supercars in 2021.

The Melbourne motorsport powerhouse is now fully committed to a Wildcard entry for the Bathurst 1000 next month and will use the experience to decide on a potential full-time return to the main game next year.

“Would we consider it. Definitely. One hundred per cent we will look at it,” team manager Barry Rogers tells Race News.

The Bathurst effort will be led by youngsters Tyler Everingham and Nathan Herne, who are confirmed as the 2020 rookie starters by Rogers.

“We’re excited. It re-energises us. It brings us back to where we are as a race team,” he says.

“We’ve got 100 per cent freedom to pick the drivers, that’s really important to us. We’ve had plenty of rookies over the years in the cars. Pace-wise, both drivers have done considerable laps at Bathurst.

“Tyler has been doing Super2 and Nathan has driven those high-powered TA2 cars.”

Their Bathurst run-up is likely to include a test day, either at Winton or Calder Park, but GRM is being very careful to comply with government regulations on COVID-19.

GRM had been planning a big year of TCR and S5000 racing but, being based in Melbourne, has been badly hit by coronavirus.

Now, with Bathurst looming, Rogers says the visit to Mount Panorama will answer the questions about a potential full-time comeback in 2021.

He says the rule changes forced on Supercars by covid, including smaller crews and tighter budgets, could work in favour of a reversal of the pull-out at the end of 2019, which was trigged by the loss of GRM’s naming-rights sponsorship from Boost.

“The primary reason we left Supercars was simply that we couldn’t get the amount going out to balance the amount coming in,” he says.

“Now we’ve seen some clear direction change at Supercars. Those reluctant to have cost saving, at the top end of town, are now embracing it.

“It gets it back to a bit more of a level playing field.”

Rogers says there is no problem with cars or staff for Bathurst or a full-time return, as the GRM workshop is still stocked with five Supercars.

“We’ve still got five cars. There are three ZB Commodores and two VFs, which are really Super2 cars these days.

“We’ve got the hardware to do it. We sold a bit of stuff off at the end of last year, but it was mostly hanging panels and bits and pieces, not any of the essential hardware.”

Looking to Bathurst, Rogers has no great expectation but is happy to be continuing the annual trek to Mount Panorama.

“It’s on,” he says.

What then?

“We’ll do Bathurst, then look at next year. We’re in motorsport, that’s our business. So if our sponsor group and those that support us are interested then it would be definitely something we would consider.”

Rogers says the Bathurst plan, and whatever follows, is still being powered by his father and team founder Garry Rogers.

“I’ve got to give it to Garry. He could just sit back and relax, but he is pumped up.

“He really does motivate us all and Bathurst has really got him excited. We know what happens at Bathurst, so we just want to put on a good show and give some young talent a good chance to shine.”

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