THERE is perhaps one element of Tickford Racing’s journey over the past 19 years that Tim Edwards is particularly proud of.
On top of its elite successes headlined by two Bathurst 1000 wins and a championship, Tickford has prided itself on fostering young talent.
“I think what I have particularly enjoyed is we have quite a lot of drivers who started their career really with us and we’ve taken them places,” Edwards told V8 Sleuth.
“I feel quite proud about that, particularly our Super2 program, it’s been very successful.
“It has actually been the pathway for many, many drivers into the main series so I’m pleased about that.
“I think that probably comes a little bit from my time at Jordan (Grand Prix) because Jordan was the breeding ground for so many Formula 1 drivers as well, that is where they started their career.”
Most notable among the Jordan alumni is Michael Schumacher, who debuted for the Ford-aligned team before being snapped up by Benetton after a single race.
This weekend’s VAILO Adelaide 500 marks the final event in Edwards’ Tickford tenure before he moves on to a new opportunity as Supercars’ general manager of motorsport.
“I’m looking forward to the next chapter,” he said.
“Look, you always want to achieve more but the fact is, 80-odd wins, a couple of Bathursts, a championship – many people will never achieve that.
“We’ve been one of the leading teams in the category for many years so I feel like I have achieved quite a bit.
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“As I say, you always want to have achieved more but I’m looking forward to what’s next; 19 seasons is a long time. Driving to the same factory week after week for 19 years, you can’t help but feel it’s a little bit like Groundhog Day.
“I don’t mean that in a bad way but it is a bit like Groundhog Day when you have been doing it for so long. I’m excited about what’s next.”
But for now, Adelaide is the focus.
Tickford scored an emotional victory via Cam Waters at last month’s Gold Coast 500 and there’s still two more race wins up for grabs before the year is out.
Tickford meanwhile is ramping up its search for a new CEO, with Edwards’ current role is set to be split in two.
