Frustrated Ford star Cam Waters has all but confirmed that he is staying at Tickford Racing in 2024, mixed with a foray into NASCAR.
While it’s generally accepted that Waters will lead Tickford’s streamlined two-car Mustang assault, his renewal is still to be officially confirmed.
It’s understood he’s signed a one-year extension, giving him local and overseas options for 2025 and beyond.
Chasing his first on-track race win this season, Waters has told the Speedcafe Newscast podcast that he’ll continue in Supercars full-time next year as he explores NASCAR opportunities, with his comments leaving little room for doubt about where he’ll be in 2024.
“Nothing’s been confirmed or anything, but you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work out where I’m going to be next year,” he said. “I don’t see my life changing a whole lot next year – pretty much the same.
“So, yeah, all the formal announcements and all that stuff gets played out when they decide to, but I don’t see myself going into a Blanchard second car or Matt Stone Racing.”
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An announcement confirming Waters as the spearhead of Tickford Racing’s trimmed two-car attack next year is believed to be imminent, along with the continued backing of energy drink giant Monster.
It’s expected he’ll be joined by Thomas Randle, retaining Castrol support.
Waters is among Supercars’ elite drivers, one of a handful who are proven pace-setters and race-winners.
Despite his one-lap speed in the Monster Energy Racing Mustang, he struggled in races to achieve a legitimate podium until The Bend last month.
He was actively courted by Triple Eight as a possible replacement for NASCAR-bound Shane van Gisbergen and also by Walkinshaw Andretti United to partner Chaz Mostert in a Ford ‘superteam’.
Speedcafe understands Waters has re-signed with Tickford for another year because the deal allows him free reign to pursue an exploratory NASCAR street and road race programme.
USA-based Monster is expected to continue backing his Mustang as well as providing entrees to NASCAR drives.
Tickford’s cut-back to two cars in 2024, selling two entries, was also an attraction, focusing the team’s resources.
Waters obliquely referred to that when quizzed about the coming change.
“It’s good that Tickford is going back to two cars,” he said. “They’ve looked at their business model and how they go about it all and, you know, they made the decision that they think two is best for them.
“I think it’s only a good thing.”
Waters visited the recent NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona Motor Speedway, sounding out guest drives next year.
He reaffirmed his long-term goal to race in America, with the recent impressive performances by van Gisbergen and Brodie Kostecki aiding his attraction to NASCAR Cup Series teams.
“I’d love to,” he declared. “Kind of go and do what Shane and Brodie have done this year. But there are no calendars out yet, so it’s hard to lock anything away.
“Hopefully, something like that can happen for me next year. Obviously, I’ve been pretty vocal that that’s where I want to want to be and I want to do, so just wait and see.”
As well as NASCAR Cup Series road or street course races, Waters is open to oval racing and regular Sprintcar dirt track rides.
“I want to try and do some road course racing over there and even try some oval stuff,” he said. “Not just that – maybe some Sprintcar stuff as well. I’ve been doing here [in the off-season], so I’ve been getting up to speed and probably at a point where I could go to America do a bit of racing over there and have a bit of fun.”
Waters admitted that interest from NCS teams was even higher during his Daytona visit following SVG’s and Kostecki’s performances at Chicago and Indianapolis.
“What they’ve done has been awesome for Supercar drivers,” he said. “Definitely opened some eyes over there from some NASCAR teams and maybe opened some doors.
“Like I said, though, I’m going to have to work out where the calendars and all that stuff sits before you can really do anything. It’s still too early to be locking anything away.
“But what Shane and Brodie have done hasn’t hurt what I’m trying to do.”
More immediately, Waters is focused on achieving a Gen3 breakthrough on-track win at this weekend’s Penrite Oil Sandown 500.
He and in-form co-driver James Moffat, who swept the Trans Am races at Sandown over the weekend, are among the favoured combinations.
The return of the Sandown 500 will be a big test of Gen3 durability and also straight-line speed, providing a better pre-Bathurst 1000 guide to the effectiveness of the most recent Mustang parity adjustments.
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