*originally published in Forbes by Joseph Wolkin on Nov. 27, 2023
NASCAR Cup Series team owner Richard Childress is eyeing an expanded schedule for Australian racer Brodie Kostecki in 2024, according to a series of interviews conducted at the V8 Supercars season finale in Adelaide.
Kostecki competed on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course for Richard Childress Racing, starting 11th, though he crashed in qualifying and had to start at the rear of the field, finishing 22nd in a race that had a 77-lap green flag run.
Among Childress’ activities in Austrailia included supporting Kostecki’s championship efforts in a major battle against Shane van Gisbergen, the superstar who signed a deal to compete in NASCAR with Trackhouse Racing beginning next season. van Gisbergen won the Chicago Street Race in 2023 and will now focus on chasing a NASCAR career.
“Hopefully, we can race him two or three [times] on the road courses,” Childress said of Kostecki in an interview with Fox Sports. “But I want to run him on an oval, he’s raced on them earlier in his career.”
In an interview with The Austrailian, Childress explained the goals of his Austrailia trip.
“One of the reasons I am coming over is to possibly talk to a couple of the sponsors that were involved with us and see if we can get the sponsorship lined up and see if we can bring him over again,” he said. “I would like to run him in at least four, maybe five (races). We have a few road courses, but would like to also run him in an oval over here.”
The suggestion that Kostecki attempts an oval race for RCR is not a surprise. Kostecki did compete in the ARCA Menards Series East in 2013 and 2014.
While Childress attended the race, his new prized driver also took him on a hot lap.
“Back when I drove, it was totally different to what it’s like today,” Childress said of riding shotgun. “These are more high-tech cars. Just like the car we’re racing in America today, it’s a high-tech car just like this.”
There are five road courses on the 2024 Cup Series schedule, beginning with Circuit of the Americas in March.
