Gold Coast - Day Two
SATURDAY 26TH OCTOBER
MAIN GAME
Ahead of Saturday morning’s qualifying, Thomas Randle reflected on his pace from the previous day's session, expressing optimism about maintaining his form. “Hopefully we can continue when it matters. It’s one thing being quick in practice, which is obviously nice, but I think there’s still a bit of time on the table for me." He acknowledged the value of having Cam Waters as a teammate, describing him as a "qualifying benchmark." Randle noted that they can analyze each other's data and experiment with different approaches across their cars to determine what works best. “Whenever we’re running a similar setup, we’re pretty similar on pace, so I don’t think the cars are too far apart now,” he explained. “I just want to get out there and try and do the job.”
On Saturday morning, both Cam Waters and Thomas Randle showcased impressive performances during qualifying at the Gold Coast 500. Cam secured P3 while Thomas finished P4 in the preliminary results, allowing both drivers to advance to the top ten shootout. Anticipation then built for the afternoon's event.
During the shootout, Cam continued to demonstrate his prowess on the streets of Paradise, achieving his sixth pole position of the season and starting Race 21 from P1. Thomas, after a strong lap, began the race from P5. The team expressed satisfaction with these qualifying results, setting a positive tone for the upcoming 250-kilometre race.
In a post-shootout interview, Cam Waters reflected on his remarkable pole position lap in Car #6. He acknowledged the commitment required to achieve such a feat on the challenging Gold Coast circuit, stating, “Yeah, you’ve got to put it all on the line. You’ve got to be rubbing the walls, having a go, and tearing paint and stickers off the side of the car to be faster around here. The shootouts are really hard because you don’t know the track grip level, so you’re kind of just winging it a little bit, but I’m super pumped to get the pole.”
When asked about the state of his car’s mirrors, which bore evidence of his daring approach, he remarked, “No, but when they look like that, it means I’ve had a crack and I’m doing my job properly. As long as that’s the only bit and the rest of it is still there.” With a fast car rolled out in practice, Cam expressed confidence in his team’s performance, saying, “We’ve been fast all weekend, and I think we should be okay in the race. We’ll make some small changes to try and improve it a little on tyres, but you’ve got to have a fast car to start with, and starting at the front is a good step. We just need to see what it’s like in the race, but we’ll give it a go and aim for the win.”
As Race 21 approached, both Thomas Randle and Cam Waters shared their thoughts in pre-race interviews, reflecting on their preparations and strategies for the challenging Gold Coast circuit. Thomas, driving Car #55, expressed confidence in the speed he had shown throughout practice. “Yeah, it’s been really good. We’re rolling out pretty strong. I could have done a better job in the shootout, but starting in the top five is still great. It’s going to be a fun race; I just need to get to Turn 1 cleanly and see how the strategy unfolds.” He emphasised the importance of a good launch off the line, mentioning, “I hope so. I haven’t been too bad at that, but I don’t want to jinx myself. I just need to warm the clutch up and get a good reaction time.”
Cam Waters, piloting Car #6, was equally optimistic after securing pole position. “It’s been a great weekend so far, and awesome to get the pole today,” he said, acknowledging the advantages of starting from the front. However, he also addressed the issues he had experienced with starts in recent races, stating, “I think we can improve that. The last two races had some clutch issues, but this drop gear is pretty suited to me, so fingers crossed I can get off the line and into Turn 1 first.”
Both drivers recognised the physical and mental challenges of the race ahead, especially following the demanding events of the Bathurst 1000 and Sandown 500. Cam described the fatigue felt by the entire team, saying, “After Bathurst, you’re just absolutely buggered, and it’s not just the drivers; it’s everyone involved. The turnaround to this event is tight, and it takes a lot to regroup for such a busy weekend.” Nevertheless, he was eager to make the most of the race, looking forward to the opportunity to finish the season strong and aiming for victory once more.
In a thrilling Race 21 on the Gold Coast, Tickford Racing achieved a significant milestone with a 1-2 finish, marking their first since 2017. Cam Waters led the race from pole position, demonstrating exceptional pace and control to bring home the victory, while Thomas Randle battled fiercely in the opening laps, showcasing the competitive spirit of the team. By the halfway mark, Tickford was effectively running in first and second, with both drivers managing their strategies well throughout the 250-kilometre race. The team celebrated the sweet success of a double podium, a testament to their hard work and dedication, highlighting the challenges of engineering two cars to the finish in such a demanding event.
Post-race, Thomas Randle reflected on his performance, expressing satisfaction with his second podium finish of the season. “What a race! It was pretty crazy down at Turn 1. I had fun passing a few cars and then trying to hold off Feeney at the end. Those laps could have counted down any slower!” He highlighted the importance of the team dynamic, stating, “Cam drove faultlessly, and the pit stops were amazing. This result has been coming for a while, and I still want to get that win.” Randle praised the relaxed yet focused environment at Tickford, crediting his simulator work and collaboration with Cam for his improving momentum this season.
Meanwhile, Cam Waters basked in the glory of his victory, stating, “What a day! The car has been a rocket ship all weekend, and it’s awesome to convert that into a race win.” He was pleased with his start, mentioning, “I managed to get away cleanly, and after about five laps, I knew I had a pretty cool car under me.” Waters acknowledged the challenge of understanding the car’s performance and the strategy required for the street circuit. “We really understand our toolbox right now, and it’s great to have both cars competitive,” he said. As the team looked forward to the next race, both drivers expressed eagerness to replicate their success in Race 22, with a plan to build on the positive momentum and adjustments made throughout the day.
TOYOTA 86 SERIES
Saturday at the Gold Coast brought both qualifying and Race 1 for Charlie Nash in the Toyota 86 Series, delivering a day of mixed results. Qualifying saw Nash showing strong pace, but two red flags interrupted the session, leaving him with only two laps to secure a time before the session concluded under the red flag. Reflecting on the session, Nash shared, “Yeah, had a really strong car for qualifying and was heading for 6th but pulled out the red flag. Thankfully no one was hurt.”
Race 1 presented additional challenges as Nash worked his way through the field but encountered a tricky moment exiting Turn 13, making contact with the wall. Although the result was a DNF, the team is already preparing the car for Race 2 tomorrow. With two final races to close out the 2024 Toyota 86 Series season, Nash and the team are focused on ending the championship on a high note.
HOW TO WATCH
Catch all the action of the 2024 Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 across various platforms with the following schedule:
Sunday, 27 October
- 9:00 AM AEDT / 9:00 AM AEST / 11:00 AM NZDTsome text
- Foxtel | Kayo (Australia): Live coverage of Boost Mobile Qualifying (Race 22), Top Ten Shootout, Race 22, and Support Categories
- Sky (New Zealand): Live coverage on Sky Sports 5 - Channel 055
- Superview: Live coverage available outside Australia and New Zealand
- 12:30 PM AEDT / 12:30 PM AEST some text
- Channel 7 | 7plus: Live coverage of Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout, Race 22, and Support Categories
DRIVER QUOTES
THOMAS RANDLE - Car #55
“It feels pretty amazing. We've been building toward this as a team for a while, and it's fantastic to achieve it here on the streets of the Gold Coast. We're getting ever closer to that win, but I couldn’t be more thrilled that Cam took it today. It’s an incredible result for the team points with the one-two finish—definitely a long time coming. This is awesome for our supporters, our members, Ford, Castrol, BP, and everyone else involved. Having so many of our partners and supporters here to witness it makes it even more special.”
CAM WATERS - Car #6
“A one-two—how awesome! The car has been a weapon straight out of the truck. It was fantastic to get pole today, and the car felt incredible in the race. I can’t thank the team enough; it was absolutely unreal.”
