Kostecki Out For Bathurst & AGP, then BACK for Taupo

[HDTVKSS]

There really needs to be some more clarity around this. If this is a case of having cold feet and not wanting to honor a contract then I have zero sympathy for Kostecki. Drivers not honouring contracts is becoming very tiresome. In that case Erebus is copping it over no fault of their own.
If there’s more to it then let’s hear it. If he just wants out to go play with Ludo he needs to wait a year. Even if Barry is being Barry, we’ve all dealt with difficult personalities in the work place - you just need to make the best of it in the meantime.

[one five five]

Any truth that the basis of this is around Kostecki was offered the SVG drive so went to Erebus for a release and was told no. Brown then gets offered the SVG seat, goes to Erebus for a release and they say yes….

All this happened leading up to Tailem Bend where Brown was formally announced at 888 for 2024, and the Bend is where it was alluded in one of articles that the Kostecki dramas with the team started here……

Originally Posted by Jack65

You carry on as if journalists only write what Supercars wants them to. Yet we have had a clear case this week where the polar opposite has happened. Unless you believe Speedcafe's story on Kostecki was written with Supercars blessing.

Did the original story really have that much detail in it, merely said there were doubts that Kostecki would race. Why would Supercars really have an issue with that?

Why didn’t the original article actually state the reason for the team split? If this was a ball sport you’d know.

Originally Posted by Jack65

That is the way of the world. News Corp or Nine Entertainment aren't going to go in hard on any controversary that Harvey Norman might end up in given the pages of advertising it has in its newspapers.

It is not the way of the world. It’s a shame that people like yourself are advocating shoddy journalism

Look at the NRL. Fox League journalists regularly go hard of the NRL management, clubs and players, as does the Telegraph, yet News has the TV rights! Same with Nine and their tabloids. Same with the AFL.

Other sports are held to account. Why is Supercars not?

Originally Posted by Jack65

Given that seemingly nobody currently reporting on Supercars comes up to scratch, who should be reporting?

Anyone willing to ask the hard questions and not fanboi their way through media sessions. Along with anyone not copping an earn from Supercars while also reporting on the sport.

Seriously, how has it been allowed to get like this? Let’s not start on the TV coverage too…

[Alan52]

There is a difference between journalism and public relations work.
Australian motor sport media do the latter while some are pretending they do the former.The rest don’t even pretend they are doing journalism.
There is no other professional sport in Australia that has such a lap dog press.

[Jack65]

Originally Posted by Ares

I don't know of a sport that benefits from no longer being seen as the pinnacle.

Supercars and its predecessors has always been the pinnacle motor sport category domestically. It commands the biggest audiences, television money, sponsorships and from a driver's perspective, pays the highest wages.

Originally Posted by Ares

I think if Shane was still in love with Supercars he'd still be there.

We don't that for sure, he has always competed in a variety of categories overseas. Whether his dislike of Gen 3 and a few other things in the category, was the final straw, who knows, but a new challenge that will add a zero to his pay packet are likely to have played a part. There was nothing more for him to achieve in Supercars other than to add to his win stats.

Originally Posted by one five five

Any truth that the basis of this is around Kostecki was offered the SVG drive so went to Erebus for a release and was told no. Brown then gets offered the SVG seat, goes to Erebus for a release and they say yes…

It's a plausible theory, but nothing has been confirmed.

Originally Posted by one five five

Did the original story really have that much detail in it, merely said there were doubts that Kostecki would race. Why would Supercars really have an issue with that?

Clearly Superars did have an issue with it as it has stopped responding to media requests from Speedcafe since the Kostecki news broke. So it isn't happy.

Originally Posted by one five five

Why didn’t the original article actually state the reason for the team split?

Maybe because they didn't know, the source may have only divulged part of the story.

Originally Posted by one five five

Anyone willing to ask the hard questions and not fanboi their way through media sessions.

You appear to have a bee in your bonnet this Van Leeuwen is a fanboy, who is totally subservient to Supercars. Yet the very story that he wrote that is the subject of this thread has pi5sed them off.

Originally Posted by one five five

Let’s not start on the TV coverage too

We all agree on that, but that is because nobody will say boo, all being on Supercars payroll as part of its inhouse broadcast production.

Originally Posted by Alan52

There is no other professional sport in Australia that has such a lap dog press.

Most of the stories on these website are light and fluffy rehashes of press releases. But there are just not that many juicy stories for an investigative journalist to get their teeth stuck into. It's just not that big an industry.

[Ares]

Originally Posted by HDTVKSS

There really needs to be some more clarity around this. If this is a case of having cold feet and not wanting to honor a contract then I have zero sympathy for Kostecki. Drivers not honouring contracts is becoming very tiresome. In that case Erebus is copping it over no fault of their own.
If there’s more to it then let’s hear it. If he just wants out to go play with Ludo he needs to wait a year. Even if Barry is being Barry, we’ve all dealt with difficult personalities in the work place - you just need to make the best of it in the meantime.

I don't think Shane and Scotty would have spoken up if Kostecki was the one being a dick. Pretty sure the boys will be in the know with what's going on. They wouldn't stick their necks out only to be cut off when the story ends up coming out.

[Sandgroper]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Here

And now pulling Boost from the Gold Coast.
Its just gaining more traction.

[Ares]

Originally Posted by Jack65

Supercars and its predecessors has always been the pinnacle motor sport category domestically. It commands the biggest audiences, television money, sponsorships and from a driver's perspective, pays the highest wages.We don't that for sure, he has always competed in a variety of categories overseas. Whether his dislike of Gen 3 and a few other things in the category, was the final straw, who knows, but a new challenge that will add a zero to his pay packet are likely to have played a part. There was nothing more for him to achieve in Supercars other than to add to his win stats.It's a plausible theory, but nothing has been confirmed.Clearly Superars did have an issue with it as it has stopped responding to media requests from Speedcafe since the Kostecki news broke. So it isn't happy.Maybe because they didn't know, the source may have only divulged part of the story.You appear to have a bee in your bonnet this Van Leeuwen is a fanboy, who is totally subservient to Supercars. Yet the very story that he wrote that is the subject of this thread has pi5sed them off.We all agree on that, but that is because nobody will say boo, all being on Supercars payroll as part of its inhouse broadcast production.Most of the stories on these website are light and fluffy rehashes of press releases. But there are just not that many juicy stories for an investigative journalist to get their teeth stuck into. It's just not that big an industry.

I'm not sure what your first point is? Second point. I'm going off interviews Shane has made in the past. What his plans were at that time. Things changed fast. Dixon and Scotty have been trying to get Shane to the States for years, He didn't go until now. If he'd had thoughts on going one day, he wouldn't have waited until 34. He liked to stay close to family and friends in NZ. He wanted to do more off shore stuff after Covid and Rally stuff in NZ, which he has. Then Gen3 and 2023. Supercars shut him down and out with his views on what the Gen3 should look like. He gave his views at times, then he wasn't wanted to test the prototypes anymore. Then we had season start, and we know that story. By this time he was most likely getting tired of the way Supercars were treating him and disrespecting him, then it got much worse. Chicago happened and a door open to get out of the toxic hole. by then he was over it and wanted out asap. Went from loves Supercars to get me out of here in two seasons.
Many have had nothing more to prove in their careers in the past, but stayed and became icons of the sport, All Time Greats of Australian motorsport. SVG could be a better driver than Whincup, but Whincup is the GOAT. His name will always go ahead of Shane's is Supercar world, that's the trade off you make.

[Jack65]

Originally Posted by Sandgroper

And now pulling Boost from the Gold Coast. Its just gaining more traction.

Not the first time Adderton has spat the dummy promising to cut all ties with Supercars, only to pop up somewhere else.

As to what SVG's motivations and goals are, only he knows. Had the Nascar opportunity come about a few years ago when he was at the peak of his powers in Supercars, would he have come to the same decision? Perhaps, but being unhappy with the direction Supercars had gone in 2023 no doubt made the decision easier.

P.S, when quoting somebody else's post, particularly a large one, is best to quote the sections that are being replied to rather than doing so in full.

[Ares]

Originally Posted by Jack65

Not the first time Adderton has spat the dummy promising to cut all ties with Supercars, only to pop up somewhere else.

As to what SVG's motivations and goals are, only he knows. Had the Nascar opportunity come about a few years ago when he was at the peak of his powers in Supercars, would he have come to the same decision? Perhaps, but being unhappy with the direction Supercars had gone in 2023 no doubt made the decision easier.

P.S, when quoting somebody else's post, particularly a large one, is best to quote the sections that are being replied to rather than doing so in full.

He has spoken about his motivations and goals in sit down interviews in the past. They have now changed. It was not a secret. It is not he only knows, he has spoken about it. Anyway, my point was Supercars pretty must chased their star out of the series. I think we are splitting hairs.

[Jack65]

SVG left of his own volition, suggestions that he was chased out of the series are hyperbole. The series will survive perfectly well without him, juts as it has every other time a star driver departed.

[Ares]

OK Jack See it how you want. It's a bit like, You left your wife on your own volition. She cheated on you with your brother, the kids are his as well, you sleep on the floor and cook your own meals. The ******* walked out on the family. Anyway.

[Kingair]

No SVG unfortunately upset the supercars Mafia, and was on the outer from that day- one must always tow the company line!

Now the good thing about SVG, he his a pretty simple bloke- give him something with wheels, throttle and steering he is as happy as a pig in pooh!

The bloke woke up one morning and said to bride, bugger this let’s go racing in the USA and supercars can wallow in the Gen3 debacle.

The bloke can race, earn some dollars and retire back to Kiwi land and raise the middle to finger to those in the supercars mafia!

As for Brodie, hopefully the young bloke will get good people around him and go back racing.

Just how supercars will explain why the champ is not racing this year, will be a PR exercise in itself.

The sun will come up tomorrow, and Alboeasy will be still be PM, and people will be buying electric cars to save the world.

[Jack65]

Originally Posted by Kingair

Just how supercars will explain why the champ is not racing this year, will be a PR exercise in itself.

The truth would be a start, being evasive hasn't worked so far.

Originally Posted by Kingair

The sun will come up tomorrow

Exactly, SVG has a new challenge, the series will go on with most likely a new champion crowned at the end of the year.

[Madbugger]

Originally Posted by Kingair

Just how supercars will explain why the champ is not racing this year, will be a PR exercise in itself.

Not really up to Supercars to explain anything in this debacle. That falls to the two parties that have caused it, Erebus and Brodie.

And the longer that they leave it, the more intense the speculation will be. Best to come out and make a statement and then both parties can work at moving forward in whatever fashion they are able to.

Anyone alluding to “knowing the true story” probably only knows one side of it, and whichever side it is, it is still only half the story and it will only be the version of events as they see it.

[Jack65]

Originally Posted by Madbugger

Not really up to Supercars to explain anything in this debacle. That falls to the two parties that have caused it, Erebus and Brodie.

Agree, although if Supercars is going to get involved as it did with a quote from Shane Howard, it would be better to be full and frank rather than just add to the speculation.

[TWRv12]

Originally Posted by Kingair

No SVG unfortunately upset the supercars Mafia, and was on the outer from that day- one must always tow the company line!

Now the good thing about SVG, he his a pretty simple bloke- give him something with wheels, throttle and steering he is as happy as a pig in pooh!

How good anyone forget the "Retirement" bs...


He shouldn't have lost it last year, especially since 888 bend over backwards to let him race other cars!

[TWRv12]

Originally Posted by Alan52

There is a difference between journalism and public relations work.
Australian motor sport media do the latter while some are pretending they do the former.The rest don’t even pretend they are doing journalism.
There is no other professional sport in Australia that has such a lap dog press.

There are few if any independent journo's in any category, its had to name them. Many switch to doing media/PR to just make a crust.

Few if any, have the investigative resources and freedom to write what needs to be said.

[Henry]

Originally Posted by Mixer

Long bow. I have heard Bush might be heading for some fresh Premi-Air, so maybe Mr Slade can bring a sponsor to BJR?

I had read something similar via le livre du visage and found it interesting - le Bush in a 888-built Camaro? That would be interesting for a number of reasons.

Also the murmurrings about the alleged internal Erebus dialogues around releases to facilitate a driver's transfer to the seat vacated by SVG, which suggested that Brown was the second Erebus driver to request release for that seat, but the only one granted the request, hence the Tailem Bend tension...

For mine, such situations are going to become more prevalent as motorsport teams strive to lock in their drivers further and further into the future, which precludes drivers from leveraging their current form to their best advantage.

On a larger scale, the whole Hamilton/Ferrari sensationalism is a good example, to my way of thinking: the announcement that Sir Lew is headed for Maranello in 2025 seems like a premature reason for celebration. WHile on one hand, it's Sir Lewis Hamilton (which doesn't excite me much), in a sport where you're really only as good as your last race, is Lew going to be worth having in 2025? And what of his commitment to 2024?

The whole "Davey Reynolds signs a 100 year deal with Erebus" thing aged like milk too.

Anyway, I reckon they sign them up too far ahead, for too long, to be good for the sport overall.

[Just Do It!]

Originally Posted by Jack65

The truth would be a start, being evasive hasn't worked so far.Exactly, SVG has a new challenge, the series will go on with most likely a new champion crowned at the end of the year.

Nope, the championship will be between Winterbottom and Courtney. Wrap some column inches around the story and get amongst it.

[GTRMagic]

SCTR Out

Coke fell off the website…

Who’s left?

[Jack65]

Steve Blackmore has provided the most inciteful on the record comments so far. Guess it will be plain cars with no signage at Winton tomorrow for Erebus.

[Compromised]

Mentions Supercars (specifically their response to this fiasco) as part of the reason he's pulling sponsorship.

Did they learn nothing from their handling of Shane last year?

[TWRv12]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Coke fell off the website…

Who’s left?

Sadly official now
https://speedcafe.com/coca-cola-confirms-erebus-split/


Real shame

[GTRMagic]

SCTR is still a personal sponsor of Mr Courtney, perhaps there is a future at Blanchards for them…

[Sandgroper]

This is out of control, The hits keep coming.

The Fallout from this is massive.

So whats the overall story. Something has to break cover soon.