Dalton, 23, debuted in the second-tier Supercars class in the final round of the 2022 season and remained without a pole or win to his name through three full-time campaigns.
He finally ticked both boxes on Saturday in Townsville, before doubling up on Sunday in a fairytale weekend for the driver and the four-car Tickford Autosport Super2 team.
It’s rocketed Dalton to fourth in the standings behind teammates Rylan Gray, Reuben Goodall and Nash Morris, with the quartet now separated by 126 points after three of six rounds.
“Qualifying has always been my weakness. I’ve always been there or thereabouts and then [I’d] just ruin a lap or do something silly,” said Dalton.
“It’s great to have Rylan, Rylan’s smoked me the last two years. Even [former teammate] Brad Vaughan, they are such good qualifiers, so I learned a lot from those two.
“Frosty gave me a bit of a kick up the arse to tell me I’m good enough and just to trust it and it will happen.”
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‘Frosty’ Winterbottom is mentoring the Tickford Super2 squad this year in addition to his upcoming co-driver duties alongside Cam Waters.
Winterbottom, 44, has relished the role and recently hosted the four youngsters for dinner at his family home in Melbourne.
“It’s pretty crazy the effort Frosty puts into us,” continued Dalton.
“You can tell it’s not a job to him at all, he’s always on the phone to us, inviting us around with the family, he really does care about all four of us and how we go.
“It’s massive to have him in our corner.”
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Winterbottom is just part of a Tickford Super2 effort that scored a history-making top four sweep in the opening Townsville race.
Dalton paid tribute to Tickford CEO Simon Brookhouse and co-owner Rod Nash for putting together the program that is led by experienced engineer Dilan Talabani.
The Tickford Autosport model includes running four main game wildcards; Dalton and Gray having taken in a sprint round each before teaming up for the Endurance Cup.
“It’s a credit to Simon and Rod, they’ve done a tremendous job,” Dalton said.
“Coming into the year we were all a little bit nervous with four cars but it’s incredible the work they’ve done.
“We all get along, unless someone takes the double-bed at the hotel, but apart from that, it’s a really good job by Tickford.”
The Super2 operation is a significant revenue earner for Tickford, which is currently in the process of finalising a partial sale to fund future business growth.
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