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Tim Slade believes his move to Brad Jones Racing next season will provide an opportunity to recapture his form as he bids to score a breakthrough victory.
The South Australian has shown glimpses of potential throughout his seven-year spell in the main game but is yet to establish himself as a front-running force.
Slade’s strongest year came in 2012 at Stone Brothers Racing when he finished fifth in the championship having scored three podiums and a pole position.
Since then the 30-year-old endured a difficult year at Erebus Motorsport in 2013, followed by inconsistent displays as a third entry at Walkinshaw Racing during the last two seasons.
Next year Slade will replace the DJR Team Penske bound Fabian Coulthard at Brad Jones Racing in a move he hopes will see him recapture the strong form shown at SBR.
BJR has emerged as a strong force in the Car of the Future era scoring eight wins since 2013, but is losing its star driver in Coulthard and a senior engineer in Phil Keed.
“I feel pretty privileged to land the spot that I have got at Brad Jones Racing,” Slade told Speedcafe.com.
“As we all know it is not easy in this category so by no stretch of the imagination that you are just going to jump in a car and go finish on the podium every week.
“I’m a big believer in letting the results do the talking. Their (Brad Jones Racing) results have done the talking and as long as I can build relationships quick with all the guys I’m going to work with it all should be pretty positive.”
High on Slade’s priority list next year is to score a breakthrough race victory having failed to stand on the top step of the podium after 216 race starts.
BJR’s new recruit has come close to victory on several occasions with five second place finishes, including at last year’s Sydney 500.
This year saw his spell at Walkinshaw end on a sour note, with a stuck throttle pitching the Supercheap Commodore hard into the concrete barriers.
“Winning races is on everyone’s list,” continued Slade of next season.
“It is something that does annoy me for sure that I haven’t got one yet but it is not something that I put any added pressure on myself to achieve.
“I think if the car is capable of doing it and I do my job properly then there is no reason why it shouldn’t happen.
“We have just got to keep doing my thing and I’m sure it will come. I’ve been extremely close on four or five occasions. I’d rather have 10 podiums than one win which is a flash in the pan.
“If we can be fast and consistent and competitive first and foremost and if we can get some wins on the way then that would be awesome.”
