Thomas Randle is preparing to throw the ultimate “Hail Mary” to try and win the VHT S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship this weekend in Sydney.
Trailing his teammate Joey Mawson by 40 points, Randle admits he needs to aim for maximum points and hope for the title leader to have a slice of misfortune at the season finale.
“I just need to be at my best and score as many points as possible, that’s all we can do,” Randle said.
“Whatever happens around me happens – I can’t control Joey’s or others results – all we can control is what I can control, and that’s where my focus is heading into the weekend.”
“We’ll throw the Hail Mary, and then hope like heck it lands!”
This weekend’s final round at Sydney Motorsports Park will be decided across three races – two on Saturday and the final feature race on Sunday afternoon.
“We have 30 points up for grabs in races one and two, and then Sunday’s final race is double points – so there’s 60 points up for grabs,” explained Randle.
“Everyone around me in the garage will have their calculators out – but I just have to look after what I can – and that’s to be at the front of the field contending for three wins.”
It is a frantic fortnight ahead for the 25 year old Super2 champion – who next week makes his return to the Supercars Championship, in the first of his three wildcard appearances for Tickford Racing.
It caps off a return to the Supercars main game – the exclamation point on a tumultuous past 16 months for the Melbourne based driver.
“I’m fully concentrating on this weekend and I’d love to be able to grab the S5000 title, but next week is going to be a big one,” Randle said.
“After the cancer battle last year – it’s nice just to be back racing consistently – and to be doing it this weekend in the S5000 beast, and then to be back in the premier category in the country next week at Tailem Bend will be pretty satisfying.”
Randle is in remission himself from a battle with testicular cancer – which began at the start of 2020 and culminated on New Year’s Day this year with his final chemotherapy session.
“Racing means everything to me and my family, but after what we’ve been through, it’s nice just to be back at the track enjoying our racing – it’s good to have perspective like that,” Randle said.
“I’d just like to thank my team and loyal supporters for sticking by us – Castrol, Form 700, Alabar, ACT Fence Hire, DeVilbiss, Skye Sands and Pilatus who help allow us to race.”
It is a stacked schedule this weekend at Sydney Motorsports Park for S5000 – with practice and qualifying featuring on Friday, before two races on Saturday, and the final feature race on Sunday.
Schedule:
Practice 1: Fri 11:55 Practice 2: Fri 15:20 Qualifying: Fri 17:25 Race 1: Sat 10:45 (14 Laps) Race 2: Sat 12:35 (14 Laps) Race 3: Sun 12:10 (14 Laps)
Comments