GENERAL Motors has defended its need for a Supercars parity adjustment in time for this weekend’s AirTouch 500 at The Bend.
Following a post-Ipswich Super440 investigation, the Camaro was rejected a proposed rear wing tweak but was granted revised front splitter skids featuring a 70mm tunnel.
Toyota also triggered a review and requested a change – the nature of which is not yet clear – which was knocked back.
Ford-aligned Grove Racing owner Stephen Grove fired up on the matter yesterday, including suggesting that Chevrolet had now been allowed outside of the ‘parity box’ and that the line between technical and sporting parity had been blurred.
GM Motorsports Supercars racing program manager Simon McNamara has now had his say.
“The numbers speak for themselves and data is king,” McNamara told V8 Sleuth.
Simon McNamara. Pic: Mark Walker
“At the end of the day, Queensland Raceway highlighted a deficiency in elements of circuits which we went over and over and revisited and looked at.
“Everyone needs to remember that our car was changed from last year. We were the datum, and our car was changed.
“So it showed up, we ran through the numbers, we spoke to Supercars about the numbers, they ran through some numbers, and ultimately we put forward what we felt is a fair change within the system, which didn’t sit with Supercars so they wound us back.
“But there was grounds for change and there was a change.”
Asked if this will give Chevrolet a shot at the biggest races of the season, McNamara replied: “It will be better than what it was.”
He also categorically shot down insinuations that GM had held a gun to Supercars’ head, given that the manufacturer is yet to extend its commitment to the championship beyond the end of 2027.
“General Motors doesn’t work that way,” said McNamara.
“We’re in the sport because we want to be in the sport.
“We have just taken on Grant McPherson, this is his first event, so we want to build on what we do and the job we can do. We’ve said from the start of this year that it’s a rebuilding phase.”
He added: “Between the wind tunnel and track testing and other things, the wind tunnel is one tool in the bigger picture of everything. So to punch some numbers in and spit it into a box, it’s a little bit different because of what the nature of the business is.
“Supposedly we are just outside but you’re talking about aerodynamic numbers of being outside that’s 400g on a car that weighs 1350kg (minimum), on a circuit with wind and drivers and everything else.
“If some other teams in pitlane think that’s going to give us a significant advantage, I think they’ve got different Kool-Aid.”
Grove Racing and Triple Eight are set to meet with Supercars management this afternoon.
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