What new Tickford boss liked in Randle display
Supercars
21 Aug
Tickford "very happy" with Thomas Randle despite Tasmania heartbreak
Randle collided with both Triple Eight drivers late in Sunday's race
Simon Brookhouse happy Randle was "was going hard and trying to win"
Tickford Racing CEO Simon Brookhouse said the team was "very happy" that Thomas Randle was going all-out to win in Tasmania, despite the on-track battle ending in dramatic scenes.
Randle collided with Broc Feeney disputing third late in Sunday's Tasmania finale, after failing to take second away from Will Brown in a robust battle.
Randle and Brown both avoided punishment over their tit-for-tat exchange, but the former was ultimately penalised over the Feeney clash.
The incident led to tense scenes in the pit lane as Randle attempted to apologise to Feeney, with Triple Eight Team Manger Mark Dutton now being investigated over the confrontation.
Randle later apologised on the broadcast, and speaking after the race on Supercars.com's Schick Cool Down Lap podcast, new Tickford boss Brookhouse was pleased to see Randle's aggression and, later, willingness to get on the front foot and apologise.
"I said we'd rather him be trying to win and trying to get as many points as he possibly can than sort of sitting back and not being aggressive," said long-time sports administrator Brookhouse, who joined the team this year.
"So he'll learn from that. He's devastated as you'd imagine.
"But he's a good bloke and the reality of it is, is to admit it straight away, ‘I made a mistake and I've let the team down’, which is not the case.
"We're all very happy with the fact he was going hard and trying to win a race.”
Tickford won't be next to Triple Eight in pit lane at Sandown, with Walkinshaw Andretti United benefiting from a Live Pit Lane shuffle.
On the Randle/Dutton altercation, Brookhouse added: “It's one of those things, we're a professional sport, it's heat of the moment, everyone's pretty tense.
"The guys are out there fighting tooth and nail for as many points as they can get.
"So, sometimes things are going to boil over. I think everyone's pretty cool about it all. There's been a bit of banter between the two garages since, it'll all be forgotten until they run into each other next time."
Feeney is now 198 points behind after the incident Randle, whose teammate Cam Waters is 350 points behind Brown following his Race 18 win.
The 2024 Repco Supercars will switch to enduro mode at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 on September 13-15. Tickets for the 60th anniversary event are on sale now.
