The early signs from this year’s Dunlop Super2 Series campaign are certainly positive.
The Campbellfield team is this year fielding three entries in the second tier of Supercars, with Brad Vaughan, Rylan Gray, and Lochie Dalton filling third through fifth in the standings after Round 1 at Bathurst.
In joining Tickford’s Super2 team, they are following a path taken by none other than Cam Waters and Thomas Randle, as well as their 2014 Bathurst 1000 winner Chaz Mostert, Jack Le Brocq, and Broc Feeney.
So, does Team Manager Matty Roberts think there is a future Tickford star in Vaughan, Gray, and/or Dalton?
“Most definitely,” he tells Speedcafe.
Vaughan won the 2022 Super3 title with Anderson Motorsport, driving the same Tickford-built FG Falcon which Waters took to Super2 glory in 2015.
This year is the South Australian’s second in Super2, and with Tickford, and the mood is particularly buoyant on the way to Wanneroo Raceway next weekend for Round 2 of the season.
“He’s very focused,” said Roberts.
“He’s applying himself away from the track and he’s been keeping himself busy almost every weekend, whether it’s dirt racing or sim work and bits and pieces.
“I think he even came home with a win in speedway [Wingless Classic at Horsham in early-April], so he’s been super-keen and eager to get back in the car, which is great.
“We couldn’t be happier with his progress, and he’s been training and doing lots of sim work with Thomas and his engineer, Dilan [Talabani].
“I think we’re in a good spot for Perth. That was [his] standout round last year.
“Obviously, we got caught up after that Safety Car restart with Batesy [Zach Bates] but, all that aside, I think he shone the most out of anyone last year in Perth so we’re excited to see how they can extract it and perform over in Perth.”
Gray only made his debut in the Super2/Super3 field in last year’s Adelaide season finale given he turned 17 years of age just days earlier, while Dalton is one event into his time at Tickford after his rookie Super2 season at Brad Jones Racing.
“Lochie’s a great lad to have around the team and very focused and thorough,” noted Roberts.
“Again, he’s been applying himself equally, as much as what Brad and Rylan have been doing away from the DS2 rounds.
“All three of them had a solid test [last week] so he’s in for a good show over in Perth as well.
“Rylan… Look, what hasn’t driven since Bathurst? I don’t think he’s had a free weekend – most notably, he had the success over at Phillip Island in the GT4 car – and he’s going to be a threat in the future, that’s for sure.
“He’s definitely got what it takes to mix it with the big boys and certainly keeping Brad and Lochie honest, as team-mates do.”
Round 1 of the Super2 season at Bathurst was a bruising affair, particularly Race 1, which was officially five laps long (including four under Safety Car) after a pile-up at The Cutting caused a red flag.
There is hope for less carnage in Western Australia.
“We couldn’t stress enough, how important it is to finish every race up at Bathurst,” said Roberts.
“Equally, the remainder of the season is just as important and we’re treating Perth no different to Bathurst; maximum points, making sure we get points.
“I’d certainly implore the whole field to take a look at what happened at Bathurst; it was certainly uncalled for, the massive pile-up at The Cutting.
“Look, that’s racing and that’s what happens but maximum points and finishing races is what it’s all about, and exposure for themselves in front of us main game teams because we’re all watching.
“You want to see some good hard racing and not taking each other out.”
The Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint takes place from May 17-19 at Wanneroo.
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