Mark Winterbottom has inked a two-year deal to continue with Team 18 until the end of the 2022 Supercars season.
Frosty joined the Holden outfit last year following a lengthy stint with Ford Performance Racing and later Tickford Racing.
This year, the team expanded into a two-car squad with Scott Pye joining the stable in a second Commodore.
The 2015 series champion will thus be on the grid when the first lot of the Gen3 cars, including the recently announced Camaro, rolls out in 2022.
While the team are yet to firm what their Gen3 season campaign looks like, Winterbottom will helm the Commodore for its swansong season next year.
“It’s great to confirm that I have re-signed with [team owner] Charlie [Schwerkolt] and Team 18 for the next two years,” said Winterbottom.
“There was never a doubt that I was going to stay. It’s a close-knit team, and the bonds we have created during these COVID times, being on the road together, has brought everyone close.
“You can sense that we are on the edge of creating something very special.
“Charlie and I share the same vision for the direction of where we need to go. He has developed a really strong culture in the team, and he is always open to new ideas from me and all of our staff.
“The improvements that we have made in a short space of time is very encouraging. Charlie has shown his commitment to the sport by increasing to two cars this year, and you can see how much that has helped.
“Both our cars are in the Top 10 in the championship, and we go into the Bathurst 1000 this weekend as a genuine chance to pull off a big result.
“It’s great that I’m secure in the team as we head into the new Gen3 regulations too. That will become a huge focus for us and I’m keen to ensure that Team 18 launches into that era at the front of the field.
“Anytime Supercars bring in new regulations, we see a big mix up in results. That is a great challenge, so I can’t wait to see what the cars are like and take advantage of it.”
Winterbottom is currently ninth in the points race this year with three top-five finishes and only one DNF.
“It was a no-brainer to put pen to paper on this signing. He’s the real deal and he shares my vision for the team as we continue to build the relationship with the sponsors and the performance side of the team,” said Schwerkolt.
Winterbottom will look to add to his 2013 victory in this weekend’s Bathurst 1000. He ended the opening day of practice with two 11th place finishes.
