Rising Supercar racer Thomas Randle has made a promising return to the sport’s main game in his opening Wildcard appearance at South Australia’s Tailem Bend.
With a lofty goal to post a top ten finish, the 25 year old Super2 champion ticked that box, recording an impressive eighth place finish in race two on Sunday.
“I’m over the moon with how things went across the weekend – but especially on Sunday in race two to finish inside the top ten,” Randle said.
“I had to pinch myself across the event to see the Castrol Mustang with my name on it – it looked magnificent, and I was just really happy with how it all went.”
In all, Randle finished 17th, eighth and 15th across the three races in his Castrol backed Tickford Racing prepared Ford Mustang, placing him 13th overall for the round.
It was a weekend spent learning on the run at high speed.
“It’s the first time I’d been back racing a Supercar since Mount Panorama in October last year,” Randle explained.
“And the conditions were appalling – especially in qualifying on Saturday – so it was a baptism of fire, but I’m thrilled how it went.”
“I made a blunder at the start of my final race and went to back to last– but even then, to fight back to 15th was pretty rewarding.
“Just the learning process – I'm still trying to get my head around the green tyres. It was my first qualifying in the main game on soft tyres, so I have to go back to the shop and learn from the data to work out how to go faster for the next round.”
Randle said he had spent the weekend learning on the run as he strives to chase a full-time drive in the series in 2022 and beyond.
“I finished all three races, the car is still in one piece, we got some decent results, and we were racing around the big guns which has to be good for me,” Randle said.
“The team has all of my data so they can see where I’m at and compare it with Cam Waters, James Courtney and Jack Le Brocq.
“The goal remains to get a full time drive next year, so I think this weekend was a step in the right direction.”
Randle’s next Wildcard appearance with the team is at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway next month, and then Perth in September.
He will then join the team for the sport’s holy grail, October’s Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama.
“We joked last week that it was like getting Willie Wonka’s golden ticket, and that’s how the weekend played out,” Randle joked.
“I had a ball – so too did my family, to be there with mum and dad on the weekend, especially Sunday with mum on Mother’s Day was just great. Even after she was pushed out of a perfectly good plane on Saturday!
“Our family loves going racing – and to do it in the premier tin top racing series in the world and be competitive, was just awesome.
“I just want to thank the crew at Castrol, ACT Fence Hire and Herzog Steel – without them this wouldn’t have happened – but also to Tradie, Ryco and Skye Sands for all of their support. Bring on Darwin!”