Tickford Racing Sydney SuperNight Preview
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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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
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."
DUNLOP SUPER 2
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.
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."
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."
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."
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."
