Cam Waters has kept his slim Supercars championship hopes alive by winning the opening Gold Coast 500 race, with Tickford teammate Thomas Randle helping him to victory.
Pole-sitter Waters warded off numerous passing attempts from front-rower Richie Stanaway to lead from start to finish across the 85-lap race at the Surfers Paradise street circuit on Saturday.
Sitting fourth in the standings, Waters’ fourth race win of the year brings him within 167 points of third-placed Chaz Mostert.
It is also his second win at the Gold Coast track after fending off three-time champion Shane van Gisbergen last year.
“It was a lot cruisier win this year than last year, didn’t have Shane breathing down my throat,” Waters said.
“We rolled out really good cars in practice and we made a little better through practice.
“I’m pretty happy about being out in front and obviously winning the races. That’s all I can really do at the moment (in the championship).”
Randle showed his class to climb four positions into second, pulling off a quality pass against Broc Feeney on the 36th lap to set up the Tickford one-two finish.
Mostert briefly held on to second place, before a gearbox issue opened the door for Randle.
Young gun Feeney came third, with Mostert crossing the finish line in 10th place.
“I didn’t actually know I was third until after the race,” Feeney said.
“I thought Thomas was in third, so I was trying to do everything I could to get to him.
“I cruised down through the first chicane, and they said, ‘Well done on your first surfboard’.
“I could swim home from here on it, but I’d probably get eaten by a shark.”
Grove driver Stanaway was made to settle for ninth due to a car balance issue. His young teammate Matt Payne came fourth.
Feeney’s Red Bull teammate and series leader Will Brown remains on top despite a disappointing seventh.
Brown began the race in 11th after crashing out in qualifying earlier in the day.
An in-form James Golding suffered a nightmare visit to pit lane and dropped from third to 16th after his pit crew struggled to replace his left rear wheel.
Cam Hill momentarily stole the show when he reversed off the track into the escape road.
Hill had damaged both sides of his Matt Stone Racing Camaro after an awkward kerb hop sent him spinning in the chicane. He finished 23rd out of the 24 drivers.
Reigning series leader and newly crowned Bathurst 1000 champion Brodie Kostecki was fifth, while his Erebus teammate Jack Le Brocq was dead last.
Le Brocq was sent to the back of the pack after a wall collision on the opening lap, falling almost four laps behind after requiring repairs.
RACE 21 RESULTS:
1. Cam Waters (Tickford Racing)
2. Thomas Randle (Tickford)
3. Broc Feeney (Triple Eight Race Engineering)
4. Matt Payne (Grove Racing)
5. Brodie Kostecki (Erebus Motorsport)
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:
1. Will Brown (Triple Eight Race Engineering) 2634 pts
2. Broc Feeney (Triple Eight) -171
3. Chaz Mostert (Walkinshaw Andretti United) -243
4. Cam Waters (Tickford Racing) -410
5. Matt Payne (Grove Racing) -855
