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Tickford Racing has reshuffled its personnel including the appointment of a new team manager ahead of the 2019 Supercars season.
The Ford squad has refreshed its engineering line-up with a series of changes over the summer as it prepares to welcome in the new Ford Mustang alongside a new look driving quartet.
Long time employee Matt Roberts has been promoted to the team manager position held by Chris O’Toole, with the latter moved to a role within the organisation’s automotive arm.
O’Toole will still be involved with the race team but is not expected to travel to many events as he undertakes automotive projects.
Roberts’ promotion from assistant team manager sees former chief mechanic Ben Milton fill the vacant spot.
The engineering department will have a new look as Brad Wischusen takes up a head of engineering post.
Sam Potter moves to the race engineer slot on the #6 Cameron Waters entry having engineered the now departed Richie Stanaway last year.
Data engineer Sam Scaffidi has been promoted to a race engineer role on the #5 car for new recruit Lee Holdsworth, while Brendan Hogan, who looked after the entry in 2018 has moved to the 23Red Racing customer Mustang piloted by Will Davison.
Chaz Mostert will retain his engineering partnership with Adam De Borre on the Supercheap Auto backed Mustang.
“It wasn’t so much a freshen up; I mean, it’s always nice to come out with those catch phrases et cetera, but that wasn’t really the core for it,” Tickford boss Tim Edwards told Speedcafe.com.
“We had an opportunity for him (Matt) to step up with Chris moving to this other area, so, all of the building blocks have worked out the right way that we could move all those people around.
“A lot of people come to work because they actually want career progression, so if you just hold everybody in the same place forever, they tend to look elsewhere, and so this opportunity (to freshen up) allowed quite a few people to step up.
“It’s a good thing for the business to offer career progression.
“It’s not so much to reward people but to recognise people when they’re doing a good job that you are able to give them that progression.”
Coinciding with the reshuffle the team has been flat out over the off season preparing its four new Mustangs ahead of their maiden Supercars season.
While the team is fully focussed on the builds, the prospect of a new race car, a suite of promotions and a changed driver line-up has lifted the mood in the camp after a difficult 2018 campaign.
“I mean it’s like anything. Anytime you get something new and shiny everybody gets excited about it,” added Edwards.
“I suppose from two aspects, one is bringing the Mustang on board, everybody’s pretty excited about that.
“The car we were racing is, really 11 years old given the FG just sort of morphed into the FGX, so everyone’s pretty excited about the whole new body shape and taking the Mustang to the race track.
“And then there’s just the general mood in the team.
“I think everybody’s seeing a bit of change and promotions and everything like that and that’s naturally created a positive vibe through the team.
“There’s very good staff retention. Out of 68 staff I think we lost three at the end of last year and only one’s actually gone to another team, the other two have left the sport.
“But I think generally people are enjoying working here and I think everyone’s pretty excited about 2019 and going and racing with the Mustang.”
Tickford is set unleash its Mustangs for the first time next month during a pre-season test day at Phillip Island on February 14.
