Kai Allen will make his full-time main game with Grove next season on a “long-term” deal will replace Richie Stanaway in the number 26 car.
The reigning Super2 champion, who also leads this year’s Super2 title chase, will partner Matt Payne at the Braeside team.
With Allen 19 years old and Payne turning 22 in October, Grove will field the youngest driver line-up on the grid and the youngest in 18 years, the describing youth as the “key ingredient” to the next chapter of its history.
“It’s pretty surreal,” Allen said. “I’ve been racing since I was eight years old, maybe even younger, so I’m super grateful to finally be in a position that I’ve worked towards my whole life.
“It still hasn’t sunk in, but I’m sure come round 1 next year that will all change.
“I can’t thank Stephen and Brenton [Grove] enough for the opportunity. I feel like I’m joining a team that’s really on the way up, and there’s some really great personnel on the team with so much experience. David Cauchi, Shippy [Grant McPherson], Garth [Tander], who are all massive names in this sport.”
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Allen follows in Payne’s footsteps in being promoted from Super2 into the Grove squad, the Kiwi having finished third in the 2022 series.
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“Ultimately I’m here to learn as much as possible,” he said. “Matt’s a really talented driver, so I’ll be doing my best to keep the team up the front and absorb as much as possible from him.
“Driving Car 26 is pretty surreal too. It’s a number that I’ve raced with since karting, so I guess it’s meant to be.”
Allen leads Aaron Cameron by 114 points in the Super2 title, having beaten Zak Best to the championship last season. Three rounds remain in the series, in Sandown, Bathurst and Adelaide.
The 2025 season won’t be Allen’s first run in a Gen3 Supercars machine after having tackled Mount Panorama in the Dick Johnson Racing wildcard entry alongside Simona de Silvestro last season.
The teenage sensation is linking up with DJR again this season, co-driving with Will Davison at both Sandown and Bathurst.
The teenage sensation entered last year’s Bathurst 1000 in
“My goal for the rest of this year is to tick Super2 off,” Allen said. “That’s really important.
“It will also be valuable to do Sandown and Bathurst in the Gen3 car, just so I can be as comfortable as possible with that style of car before I join the team.”
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Confirmation of Allen’s promotion leaves eight seats still up for grabs on the 2025 grid.
Dick Johnson Racing has the highest profile drives still available, with neither Will Davison nor Anton de Pasquale contracted.
Reigning champion Brodie Kostecki is also out of contract at Erebus.
Mark Winterbottom, James Golding, Tim Slade, Jaxon Evans and Macauley Jones are all also awaiting new deals.
2025 Supercars grid so far
Triple Eight: Will Brown and Broc Feeney
Tickford: Cam Waters and Thomas Randle
Walkinshaw Andretti United: Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood
Grove: Matt Payne and Kai Allen
Dick Johnson Racing: (out of contract: Will Davison and Anton de Pasquale)
Matt Stone Racing: Nick Percat and Cameron Hill
Team 18: David Reynolds (out of contract: Mark Winterbottom)
PremiAir: (out of contract: James Golding and Tim Slade)
Erebus: Jack Le Brocq (out of contract: Brodie Kostecki)
Brad Jones Racing (1): Andre Heimgartner and Bryce Fullwood
Brad Jones Racing (2): (out of contract: Jaxon Evans and Macauley Jones)
Blanchard Racing Team: James Courtney and Aaron Love