Third Time Lucky

After starting out at Triple Eight Race Engineering and being pushed out for Scott McLaughlin at DJR Team Penske, Scott Pye joined Walkinshaw Andretti United at a time of crisis. And just 18 months later his fortunes and that of his new team have turned right around.

- John Bannon

Not all drivers will admit it, fewer will tell you it’s a priority, but second to winning there’s no better indicator of how well or poorly you’re travelling than to compare your results to your teammate. If your teammate happens to be one of just three drivers to deny Jamie Whincup the title in the past decade, then it’s fair to say you’ve got one of the best benchmarks on the grid.

If you happen to be new at this team, alongside its well-established superstar driver, and you comprehensively outperform this more experienced teammate in your first season, it’s got to look good on the resume, right? Well, that’s exactly what South Australian Scott Pye has achieved so far at Walkinshaw Andretti United.

Pye arrived at the Holden squad during a period of uncertainty for both parties. The 28-year-old had been cast aside for rising star Scott McLaughlin at DJR Team Penske just as the Ford squad was on the verge of becoming a front-running contender.

“It was disappointing for me at the end of that season [2016] when I was the one to move aside,” says Pye.

“My contract was up and they needed space for Scotty. So even though at the end of that season we were really on top of everything, they decided to go in a different direction. But at the end of my time there I was in a good position where I did have a few options.”

As Pye moved to his new home, the Holden squad had lost its factory backing and 2007 champion Garth Tander had returned to Garry Rogers Motorsport to open up the spot. Pye had plenty to prove and room to grow heading into 2017.

“It wasn’t so much about the immediate future and the pace of the car that I next jumped in,” says Pye.