Grant ''Shippy'' McPherson Returns To The Supercar Paddock...
The 2026 Ryco Enduro Cup opener was an important weekend for General Motors, marking the return of Grant McPherson to the Supercars paddock. Known as ‘Shippy’, McPherson attended the AirTouch 500 at The Bend, an event ultimately dominated by Toyota.
This was McPherson’s first trackside presence since the Melbourne Grand Prix in March, after which he announced his departure from his role as Penrite Racing Technical Director. McPherson has been part of the paddock for nearly two decades, beginning as a Data and Design Engineer with Ford Performance Racing (now Tickford Racing) and advancing to Race Engineer. We couldn't serve our penalty, and it was driving us nuts, to be honest.
He later made a notable transition to Triple Eight, then joined Walkinshaw Andretti United as Head of Performance. By the end of 2022, he became Technical Director at Grove Racing. After a six-month break, McPherson returned at The Bend, spending time with GM teams Team 18, Matt Stone Racing, PremiAir Racing, and Erebus Motorsport.
McPherson notably reconnected with PremiAir Racing Team Principal Roland Dane, who was his boss at Triple Eight from 2015 to 2020. As GM Motorsports Supercars Racing Technical Manager, McPherson is expected to play a crucial role in advancing all Camaro teams to the front of the field. While each team has its own technical staff, McPherson will be pivotal in fostering collaboration and ensuring competitiveness among all GM teams.
Through 10 rounds in 2026, the only GM team with a trophy is homologation squad Team 18. However, Jack Le Brocq and Jayden Ojeda could still bring three Camaros into the 2026 Finals. McPherson actively participated in debriefs with GM drivers and engineers after sessions. He was also deeply involved as Ford and GM teams engaged in parity debates at The Bend.
Nevertheless, GM Motorsports Supercars Racing Program Manager Simon McNamara described McPherson’s first event with the ‘Team Chevy’ alliance as a "very positive addition."
"The collaboration, information sharing, and communication across the group continue to grow, and Grant McPherson's first event with the program was a very positive addition,” McNamara said. "There is still plenty of work to do, particularly in converting one-lap and short-run speed into consistent race-day performance. "But the signs are good, and the direction is right."
Comments