Tickford Racing Sydney SuperNight Preview

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MAIN GAME

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The 2025 Supercars Championship kicks off under lights with the Thrifty Sydney 500, running from 21-23 February at Sydney Motorsport Park. As the opening round of the Sprint Cup, it’s a key opportunity for drivers to make their mark early in the season. The weekend features three races—starting with a 100 km, 26-lap sprint on Friday night at 7:50 pm, followed by two 200 km, 52-lap battles on Saturday night (7:30 pm) and Sunday afternoon (4:05 pm).

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Sydney Motorsport Park, located in Eastern Creek, NSW, is one of Australia’s most technical circuits, combining high-speed corners, heavy braking zones, and elevation changes. The long front straight into Turn 1 is a key slipstreaming point, while the tight Turn 2 hairpin provides prime overtaking opportunities. With high tyre degradation and night racing adding to the challenge, teams will need to nail their strategy to come out on top. Expect close racing and fierce battles as the Supercars grid fights for an early championship lead.

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Tickford Racing heads into the opening round of the season with confidence, having put in extensive preparation over the off-season. The team made significant progress in the latter half of 2024 and is determined to carry that momentum into the new year. Sydney Motorsport Park has historically been a strong circuit for the team, and with a well-refined package and a clear direction, we’re aiming to start the season on a strong note. A huge thank you to our partners and fans for their ongoing support.

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Cam Waters - Driver Car #6

"I'm feeling good heading into the season—it’s been a quick but really productive off-season. I’ve kept busy racing sprint cars, tackling the Bathurst 12 Hour, training at camp, doing media, and now we’ve got our test day tomorrow. I’m keen to get back in the car and see where we’re at.

Looking back at last year, we’ve debriefed on what we need to improve and what we can work on, so the test will be a good chance to see how we stack up. I love racing, whether it’s on dirt or in the Supercar, and having such a busy off-season has been great to stay sharp. We’ve been working hard as a team, and hopefully, that pays off when we hit the track.

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The goal is always the championship and Bathurst, and that just gives me even more hunger to keep pushing. From mid-year onwards, we were strong last season, and we were competitive at Sydney too. With the new tyre and format changes, I think we’re in a good position.

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The big thing this year is securing a ticket to the Final 4—risk versus reward is going to grow as the season goes on, which I think is great for the category. But right now, the focus is on SMP: bringing home a straight car and a solid bag of points to start the season strong."

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Thomas Randle - Driver Car #55

"I’m really excited to get the season underway. Round one is always a bit of a reset—everyone’s back to square one in the points, and we’ve put in a huge effort in the off-season to make sure we start strong. Last year, we didn’t quite hit the ground running, so the goal this time is to put our best foot forward from the start. With the new tyre in play, test day is going to be really important for learning as much as we can.

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Even when you have a tough round, you still learn so much, and that knowledge is just as valuable. SMP was good to us last year—we stood on the podium both days and locked out the front row in qualifying—so hopefully, we can have another strong weekend. I don’t want to be overly confident, but I’m optimistic. I’ve done a lot of prep leading into the season, I feel fit and refreshed, and I just want to get in the car and take in as much as possible for the year ahead.

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The progress over the last two years has been really positive, and we’ve taken a good step forward. Finishing fifth last season was great, but cracking into that final 4 for Adelaide would be huge. No mistakes will be key because every year, the field gets stronger, and it gets harder and harder to move up.

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Right now, it’s all about taking it one week at a time. We know Gold Coast and Adelaide are going to be critical at the back end of the season, so last year, that was always in the back of our minds. But from now, we just want to nail the half-percenters and make every moment count."

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DUNLOP SUPER 2

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Sydney also marks Round 1 of the Dunlop Super2 Series for the 2025 season, and we’re excited to welcome two new drivers to the team, Reuben Goodall and Nash Morris, alongside returning drivers Lochie Dalton and Rylan Gray. With a strong mix of returning drivers and new faces, the team has been working hard throughout the off-season to ensure they are ready for a solid and successful year in the series.

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The weekend will feature two races, with a 20-lap, 52 km sprint on Saturday at 5:55 pm, followed by a 22-lap, 57 km showdown on Sunday at 2:40 pm. Sydney Motorsport Park always delivers close racing, making it the perfect setting to kick off the season. A recent two-day test at Winton Raceway saw all four cars on track, providing valuable mileage and a successful start to their 2025 campaigns. With a mix of experience and fresh talent, the team is eager to hit the ground running and start the year on a strong note.

Reuben Goodall - Tickford Autosport Driver

"I’m feeling really confident heading into Round 1. The off-season has been massive for me—I’ve focused a lot on my fitness and preparation, dropped 7kg, and put in plenty of time on the sim to make sure I’m ready. Joining Tickford has been an incredible experience; the team has been so welcoming, and knowing I have proven race-winning cars and three quick teammates to learn from gives me a huge boost. My goal this year is to be consistently in the top five, win some races, and really focus on qualifying—track position is everything in Super2. Sydney is all about rolling out strong and building from there, and I’m ready to get stuck in."

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Rylan Gray - Tickford Autosport Driver

"I’m heading into Round 1 with a championship mindset—after a big year in 2024, my focus is on consistency across all six rounds and pushing for race wins. I’ve put a lot into my off-season preparation, working on my fitness from day one of the new year and refining my qualifying to be stronger from the outset. It’s been great to build stronger relationships with Tom, Cam, and Frosty, especially with Frosty back in the team, and I’m looking forward to learning from him this year. I’ve also got a new engineer in Brendon Hoggan, who brings a wealth of experience, so I’m confident we’re in a great position. Bathurst was a huge highlight for me last year, and I can’t wait to get back there. With the wildcard and endurance opportunities this year, it’s even more important to perform, and I’m ready to grab every chance with both hands."

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Lochie Dalton - Tickford Autosport Driver

"I’m heading into 2025 hungry for results. Last year proved we had the pace, and now it’s about putting it all together and fighting for the championship. The off-season was a mix of downtime in Tassie and plenty of time at the track, including Supercar testing at The Bend and Winton. I haven’t changed my approach—I just want it more this year. Working with Frosty has been great; he’s straight-up, full of knowledge, and keen to help us improve. I’m looking forward to getting back to Tassie for the home crowd (and home-cooked meals!), but overall, this year is all about consistency, race wins, and making the most of every opportunity, especially with the wildcard and enduro plans in the mix."

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Nash Morris - Tickford Autosport Driver

"I’m excited to get the season underway with Tickford. The transition has been great, and my off-season has been all about racing—mostly in my sprint car—and working at Norwell Motorplex, which keeps me sharp. My mindset for Round 1 is simple: go out, have fun, and get good results. There’s no pressure, just an opportunity to enjoy racing and make the most of the year ahead."

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FRIDAY WRAP – SYDNEY 500

MAIN GAME

What a way to start the 2025 Supercars Championship! The team came out strong in the first qualifying session of the season, with Cam putting the No. 6 Monster Energy Mustang on pole and Tom securing P5 in the No. 55 Castrol Racing Mustang. That momentum carried into the race, with Cam taking the win and Tom crossing the line in third, locking in a double podium to kick off the year in the best possible way.

It’s been a long time since we’ve opened a season like this, and the entire team is thrilled with the result. The hard work over the off-season has paid off, and we’re eager to keep this momentum rolling.

“It’s awesome to start the season like this,” Cam said after taking the first win of 2025. “The car was hooked up, and qualifying was great, I really enjoyed it. The speedway format was something different, and I’m all for trying new things. It’s just one race, but we had fast cars, and it’s great to see the No. 55 car up there as well. The whole team is eager and ready to give it a crack.”

Tom put in a strong drive to third and is excited to see where we can go from here. “It all came down to the last lap, but it was a great job by the team to get both cars on the podium,” he said. “We haven’t started a season like this in a long time, and Cam was able to drive away, which was an amazing performance. We saw a few different strategies play out, and tomorrow’s race is nearly double the distance, so we’ll see how we go.”

A double podium is an incredible way to start the year, but we know there’s plenty more work ahead. We’re hungry to keep this momentum going and push for more strong results throughout the weekend.

DUNLOP SUPER2

Our Dunlop Super2 drivers hit the track for their first sessions of the year, getting some vital laps under their belts in two practice sessions. With the first runs of the season complete, the focus now shifts to qualifying and Race 1 tomorrow.

Rylan came out of the day feeling ready to go — “Pumped to be back in the car, feeling good and ready to jet for qualifying tomorrow.”

Lochie made strong progress across the two sessions — “Made some changes after a whirlwind Practice 1 and found some gains in Practice 2. Looking forward to qualifying!”

Reuben showed flashes of pace and is looking to bring it all together when it counts. — “Tough day, but there were signs of brilliance. It’ll be good if I put it together in qualifying.”

A solid first day in the books, and we’re excited to see what the boys can do tomorrow.

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SATURDAY WRAP - SYDNEY 500

MAIN GAME

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Another incredible day for the team at Sydney Motorsport Park! Both drivers made it into the first Top Ten Shootout of the season, with Cam securing back-to-back poles and Tom locking in P5.

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The race itself was one for the history books—Cam battled hard in an action-packed race to take an unforgettable victory, while Tom crossed the line in P6, capping off another strong day. The entire team is buzzing with excitement as we continue to carry the momentum from the end of last season. The hard work over the off-season is paying off, and we’re looking forward to finishing the weekend on a high tomorrow.

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“I had a lot of fun in the car today,” Cam said. “That was one of the most epic races I’ve been a part of. The battle with the RedBull guys was intense, and it all came down to a drag race across the line. It’s great for the fans, and they’re letting us race a bit harder this year, which is awesome. The team was so pumped with the result, and we’ve got a fast car so ready to go again tomorrow.”

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For Tom, it was another strong performance, though not quite as smooth as yesterday’s podium finish. “P5 in qualifying and P6 in the race—overall, a decent day. It wasn’t quite as strong as yesterday, but it’s still a solid result for the team. I didn’t get the best start, which was on me, and then we had to double-stack in the pit stop, which made things tricky. The car had top-five pace, but we’ll take what we learned today, regroup, and go again tomorrow. There’s still plenty to play for.”

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DUNLOP SUPER 2

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The Super2 boys tackled qualifying and Race 1 today, delivering strong performances across the board. Rylan led the charge with a well-earned podium, while Nash was right in the mix, showing great pace throughout the race. Lochie made solid gains after a tricky qualifying, and Reuben put together a determined drive, moving forward across the race distance.

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“Pretty happy with the day,” Rylan said after stepping onto the podium. “We’ll tune up the car overnight and have a proper dip tomorrow.”

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A great first outing for the team, with plenty to build on heading into Race 2 tomorrow.

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SUNDAY WRAP – SYDNEY 500

MAIN GAME

A hat-trick weekend to kick off 2025! Cam delivered an absolutely flawless performance, securing three pole positions, three race wins, and three fastest laps—the maximum points haul possible. The entire team is over the moon with this result.
We’re also really pleased with Thomas' weekend, starting with his podium on Friday, followed by P6 on Saturday. After just missing out on the Shootout today with a P11 qualifying result, he held his ground in the race to finish P11, having some great battles along the way. The rain in the final 10 laps threw in a curveball, but both drivers managed the conditions well.
Coming out of the weekend, we’re leading the Teams’ Championship, Cam leads the Drivers’ Championship, and Thomas sits P6 in the standings. The momentum is strong, and we can’t wait to hit the track again at the Australian Grand Prix next month.
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Matty Roberts – Tickford Racing Team Manager

“This result goes back further than just this weekend—it started at the beginning of last season when we shifted our focus. Instead of looking at broad improvements, we honed in on the finer details, chasing those 1% gains, then the 0.25% gains. That level of focus continued through the off-season, maintaining consistency and keeping morale high, and it’s put us in a really strong position.
“Moving to two cars last season allowed us to refine everything and work more closely as a team, and the improvement has been massive. The way we’ve been able to focus and maximise performance has made a real difference. Capping it off with a clean sweep today was pretty special. Last night’s race was so emotional—great for the sport, and one of the most memorable wins I’ve been a part of. Hats off to everyone involved.”
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Cam Waters - Car #6 Monster Energy Mustang

“A clean sweep of the weekend! Three poles, three race wins, I couldn’t ask for anything more. To start 2025 like this is really special. I can’t thank my team enough for rolling out such a fast race car this weekend.”

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“The last few years, I’ve felt like I had strong chances, but this is by far the best start I’ve ever had to a season. It’s a great position to be in for the championship, but this is just one track—there’s still a long way to go. The rain stint at the end added an extra challenge, but I had a good buffer and just cruised around, backing off when it got heavier to play it safe.”
THOMAS RANDLE “We started 11th and finished 11th, so that pretty much sums up the race. I got held up at the start, but the middle stint was really strong—I picked off a few cars, but because we were pitting late, I was always having to pass on track. The car had a lot of speed, but once the rain came in, I didn’t really get the chance to make up more ground. From there, it was just about playing it safe and banking the points.”
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“Overall, I’m happy with the weekend—got a podium on Friday. Most importantly, we’re leading the Teams’ Championship, Cam’s leading the Drivers’ Championship, and I’m sitting P6, so it’s a great start to the year. Long way to go, but I’ve got to thank the whole Tickford Racing crew, my team at Castrol Racing, our partners, supporters, and fans. Looking forward to seeing everyone in Melbourne in a few weeks.”
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DUNLOP SUPER2

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Another competitive day on track for the Autosport boys as they tackled qualifying and Race 2 at Sydney Motorsport Park. The team showed solid pace across the board, with Rylan leading the charge in qualifying to start P5, followed by Lochie in P9, Reuben in P12, and Nash in P14.
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In Race 2, the boys fought hard in a clean, safety car-free race. Reuben had the strongest result, crossing the line in P6, while Nash gained ground to finish P10. Rylan secured P9, and Lochie, after a tough start, brought it home in P12. The team now turns its focus to the next round in Tasmania in a couple of months’ time.
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Matty Roberts – Tickford Racing Team Manager

“It’s great to get through the weekend with no safety cars and no damage, which is a testament to the level of competition in Super2 right now. The depth in this category is really strong, and it’s good to see the boys pushing hard. They all took part in our training camp alongside the main game drivers over the off-season, and we’re seeing that effort pay off. This series continues to produce future stars, and with competition this close, it’s a great platform for young drivers to develop and hopefully step into the main game through wildcards and beyond.”
Reuben Goodall – “A really encouraging day, the pace was strong, and I’m looking forward to taking that momentum to Tasmania. Hopefully, we can put together a strong qualifying run there and build on this result.”

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Rylan Gray – “It was a tough race, getting boxed around at the start made things difficult, but we still managed to bank some solid points heading into Tassie.”
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Lochie Dalton – “A tough weekend! Qualifying didn’t go our way, and then first-lap contact hurt any chance of a result in the race. The Tickford Autosport crew gave me a ripper race car to charge through the field in both races, but unfortunately, we just couldn’t put it all together.”
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A huge congratulations to the Tickford Racing media team, who took home the ‘Best Use of Digital Media’ award at the 2024 Motorsport Australia Awards in Sydney tonight—an incredible recognition of the hard work happening behind the scenes.

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