Waters: Post-Darwin soul-searching key to turnaround

Tickford Racing’s return to form in Townsville was down to “pretty hard” searching after Darwin, says Cam Waters.

Waters and Thomas Randle finished both Townsville races in the top five, with Waters first and second in the two 250km marathons.

It was a far cry to the previous round in Darwin, where both Tickford Mustangs were buried in the pack, failing to get the Super Soft tyres working.

Come Townsville, and the Monster Ford was the class of the field, Waters topping both Friday practice sessions before beating Chaz Mostert in an enthralling Saturday race.

Waters and Mostert, who both won in Perth, were unable to match Matt Payne on Sunday. However, Waters said his team had been rewarded for its big effort between events.

“Perth, we were really fast. Darwin, we really struggled as a team. Just didn't really put it together in Darwin,” Waters said.

“We searched pretty hard since Darwin and rolled out a car that was fairly different. We rolled out of the truck and it was super fast. So, we learned a fair bit through practice and both cars were quick all weekend.

“We had a really good car that looked after its tyres. Probably didn't have the outright speed as these two fellows beside me [Mostert and Payne] but it was an awesome weekend.

Tickford CEO Simon Brookhouse agreed, and reiterated that the Ford squad is improving round by round as Waters aims to get back in the championship hunt.

“As Cam said, we all came out of Darwin pretty disappointed,” Brookhouse said.

“From the team's point of view, to see all the hard work that went on between Darwin and now here, and the results we've got here, are a testament to all that hard work.

"I think for us, every race meet, we just get better and better. And I think we showed that this weekend.”

Waters moved from 515 to 389 points behind championship leader Will Brown over the course of the Townsville weekend.