Former Supercars driver Renee Gracie is reportedly exploring a return to the Bathurst 1000, with plans centred around a self-run wildcard entry funded independently.
According to comments attributed to Gracie in Australian media, the 2015 and 2016 Bathurst starter is considering purchasing or establishing her own team rather than competing under an existing operation. The project would be financed through income generated since she stepped away from professional racing, most notably from her career in online adult entertainment.
Gracie has publicly stated that she receives regular offers to return to racing in other teams’ cars but prefers to control the programme herself, both competitively and commercially. She believes a self-managed entry would generate significant public and media interest, particularly given her unconventional career trajectory since leaving the Supercars paddock.
She has also been openly critical of the current state of Supercars racing, suggesting the on-track product lacks the intensity and unpredictability it once had. Gracie has said she rarely watches full races now, describing them as repetitive compared to the racing seen several years ago.
Gracie’s junior and professional racing career spanned Carrera Cup and the Supercars Super2 Series between 2013 and 2017. She made two Bathurst 1000 starts as part of the Harvey Norman Supergirls programme alongside Simona de Silvestro.
The duo’s first appearance at Mount Panorama in 2015 ended with a 21st-place finish in a Tickford-run Ford, following an incident at Forrest’s Elbow. That event was also overshadowed by off-track controversy after fellow driver David Reynolds received a significant fine for comments made during a press conference.
In 2016, Gracie returned to Bathurst in a Nissan Altima, finishing 14th in what was considered a solid result for the entry.
Despite her extended absence from professional circuit racing, Gracie has stated she believes a top-10 finish at Bathurst would be a realistic target if the wildcard entry were to proceed. While acknowledging that a race win would be unlikely, she maintains that she could be competitive in the midfield and have an impact on the event.
From a broader perspective, Racing-X understands that any wildcard proposal would need to satisfy Supercars’ technical, commercial, and sporting criteria, and would likely attract significant scrutiny given the profile of the driver involved. However, the combination of prior Bathurst experience, independent funding, and media attention makes the concept notable as discussions around future wildcard entries continue.
At this stage, no formal entry has been confirmed, but the prospect of a Gracie-led Bathurst return remains a topic of interest within Australian motorsport circles.
