Changes coming for SuperUtes

Since launching at the start of 2018, SuperUtes had been under the control of Supercars Australia, but Supercars has agreed to hand over management rights to a group of current team owners “to take the series forward”.

“Supercars recognises the investment made by SuperUtes teams in establishing the Series," Supercars Chief Operating Officer Shane Howard said in a statement on 26 October.

"The teams are now able to determine their future independently. The competitors are best equipped to move the category forward.

"Supercars will assist in the transition to an independent entity, including supplying all technical data and commercial information and we look forward to having them continue to be part of the support category program.”

The category’s move from the rear-wheel drive Commodore and Falcon utes to the turbo-diesel dual cab pickup-style utes that dominate the Australian new car market was hoped to be a popular change, but the series has struggled to gain widespread fan support, exacerbated by the arrival of the Stadium Super Trucks, which arguably offers more spectacular racing than the SuperUtes.

One of the key changes under the new, team-owned management structure for 2020 will be the adoption of a control V8 engine – petrol, not turbo-diesel - in an attempt to rejuvenate the series.

The Confederation of Australian Motorsport (CAMS) has been notified of the decision and will work closely with the new entity to determine rules for the control engine and other components.

Whether the change will see new teams come into the series, or current teams expand their commitment, has yet to be seen.

With the change to a new control engine, the 2020 SuperUtes calendar will also change to allow teams time to make the engineering changes, but racing formats are expected to remain the same.