Plans for Supercars champion Brodie Kostecki to return to the NASCAR Cup Series this year have been canned.
The Erebus Motorsport driver was in line to make a handful of appearances at select non-oval events with Richard Childress Racing in 2024.
Wide World of Sports understands Kostecki was set to contest the upcoming road course event at Sonoma Raceway. A start at the Chicago street race was also tabled for the touring car champion.
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However, the driver's long-time mentor Paul Morris has indicated Kostecki will not race in the Cup Series this year.
Wide World of Sports understands the cancellation of those plans to return to the NASCAR Cup Series coincided with a shock decision to return to Erebus Motorsport.
Speaking on the first episode of Speedcafe's podcast Polarizer with Roland Dane and Paul Morris, the 2014 Bathurst 1000 winner said Kostecki harboured no interest in NASCAR this year.
"I do have intel. I don't think he's interested… I know he's not interested in going back to the states this year," said Morris.
"His focus is Australia and doing the best job he can do here."
Dane, the former owner of championship-winning Supercars outfit Triple Eight Race Engineering, said he was not taken aback by Kostecki's decision.
Dane indicated Kostecki might revisit the idea of racing in the Cup Series in 2025.
"It would do if I didn't know him," said Dane when asked if Kostecki's decision was a surprise.
"But I think he's head down, get on with the job this year and then see what next year brings."
Kostecki made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at the road course configured Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year where he finished 22nd in a back-up car.
Although Morris told Wide World of Sports in April that he was not Kostecki's manager, it is known the former Supercars team owner played a role in negotiating the driver's return to Erebus Motorsport after falling out with the team.
https://twitter.com/peter_adderton/status/1751372700474573073
Images of a Mobile X and Walmart-sponsored Chevrolet Camaro with Kostecki's name on the window were circulated earlier this year by the telco company's owner Peter Adderton.
The Cup Series-specification car also carried Richard Childress Racing stickers and was thought to be the car that Kostecki would drive in the cameo appearances.
Adderton was set to continue sponsoring Kostecki in the Cup Series this year before the driver's return to Erebus was confirmed.
The telco owner claimed Kostecki's return to Erebus came with a caveat that the driver would no longer be a Boost ambassador.
Adderton said he was "disappointed" by Kostecki's decision to return to Erebus and threatened to walk back his sponsorship from all motorsport over the saga.
Wide World of Sports is aware of at least five sponsors who claim to have cut ties with Erebus Motorsport because of the Kostecki saga.
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