Rogers defiant ahead of Volvo Waterloo

Supercars Hall of Famer Garry Rogers has vowed to be on the grid at the Clipsal 500 next season and is ramping up his campaign to make it happen.

With just two race meets left in the season, Rogers’ Volvo-backed team remains in limbo after the Swedish manufacturer’s announcement of plans to pull out of the sport.

Rogers is arguing a case to retain their Volvo partnership – both through the legal system and in the court of public opinion.

The 71-year-old is hoping a one-year extension to their deal would give his team a new lease of life and provide Volvo with a more-dignified exit.

“We really just want to get on with the racing,” he told Fox Sports’ Inside Supercars program.

“We have been approached by another manufacturer halfway through the program but, according to our contract, we couldn’t speak to them so we didn’t.

“We went back to Volvo and said give us one year of the existing program – forget about the three years. If you give us one year, we will back ourselves to get another deal up for the following season.

“We’ve got 36 people who need to do their job.”

Rogers took Volvo to the Federal Court in the hope of forcing a resolution that would allow them to race in 2017.

The veteran won an order to begin mediation but, should that process not bear fruit, a future court date pencilled for February would cruel their chances of preparing properly for next season.

Rogers believes their contract with Volvo gives them the right to retain their chassis for 2017.

“We’ve done a fantastic job with these cars. Let’s face it – Volvo is a fantastically safe car but it didn’t really have a sporting presence,” he said.

“Whether you like us or whether you hate us, we did a bloody good job in making it acceptable to the public and people that would have never thought about it before.

“This is a very untidy situation but I think that the upper echelons of the Volvo management will take control of it and realise it’s not doing a lot for their brand.”

Rogers didn’t shed any light on their driver situation.

Scott McLaughlin, who is fourth in the championship and has a mathematical chance of winning the title in the event of a Triple Eight catastrophe, is leaving the team next year for DJR Team Penske.

Young gun James Golding could be elevated to drive alongside James Moffat but Rogers suggested a driver resolution had to come after a settlement with his manufacturer.

“We will be there (in 2017) with those cars – and I hope with those engines – but we will be working as hard as we possibly can to achieve that end.”

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