Matthew Payne is confirmed to do a full season of Super2 in 2022, driving with the Grove Racing team.
Payne was picked up by Grove Racing earlier this year as one of their junior drivers.
With the outfit, the Kiwi teenager has had stints in a Super2 car at Sydney Motorsport Park and Bathurst.
He also had a go in a Ford Mustang Supercar during an additional drivers practice session in Sydney.
Grove Racing intend to run Payne in the development series next season with the goal of landing a full-time Supercars seat in 2023.
“[Payne] will continue his development within the team, working hand in hand with the main game squad and acting as a sponge to learn from the experience we have within the team,” team boss Stephen Grove said.
Since graduating from racing karts twelve months ago, Payne has only had 11 race meetings in cars.
Five of those were in single-seaters, including a crushing performance to win the Toyota Racing Series.
Payne then crossed the ditch for a gig in the Porsche Carrera Cup championship, picking up a pole and a win in a truncated campaign.
He sees Super2 as the next step in his progression to the top.
“[Super2] will give me the flexibility to compete in further endurance racing formats and advance my preparation for main game with Grove Racing in 2023,” he said.
“I feel that I am as prepared as I could be to compete for race wins and podiums.”
Payne will race a Nissan Altima in the six-round Super2 season, which begins in Newcastle in March.
Now we know what Payne’s plans are, attention turns to who will drive alongside David Reynolds at Grove Racing in the 2022 Supercars Championship.
Lee Holdsworth could be a possible favourite for the vacant seat. He was exceptionally quick as a co-driver for Chaz Mostert at Bathurst, where he won, and is currently without a full-time drive.
The team also utilised the efforts of Luke Youlden in Sydney when Reynolds was absent.
Youlden has never had a full-time role in Supercars.