GRADUATING Super3 Series winner Brad Vaughan is very aware just how successful Tickford Racing’s pathway to the top has been.
“They have had a strong Super2 program for years now,” Vaughan told V8 Sleuth.
“If you look at the history, pretty much all but one driver from the Tickford program have made it to the main game so I think I’m in a good position.”
Indeed, he is correct.
One way or another, James Moffat, Chaz Mostert, Cam Waters, Jack Le Brocq, Garry Jacobson, Richie Stanaway, Thomas Randle, Broc Feeney and Zak Best have all ended up in the main game. Six of those nine are Repco Supercars Championship race winners.
The only outlier? Josh Kean.
For Vaughan, he’s coming off a year-long Super3 battle with Kai Allen. Driving for Anderson Motorsport, the Barossa Valley product pulled off a come-from-behind title triumph after Allen crashed in the Adelaide finale.
That battle is set to continue to rage this season, with Allen also stepping up via Eggleston Motorsport.
“I think (2023) is a big learning year, definitely, and it is a huge step up to Super2, to be on the grid with other main game teams and people you’re trying to fight for the championship with,” said Vaughan.
“I haven’t even thought anything past being on the grid at Newcastle. I’ll just take it one round at a time and any opportunities that come, come.
“The (Gen2) cars are unreal. They are unreal under brakes.
“I’m sort of going a 10-year jump from a Project Blueprint, skipping the VF or Falcon, and going straight to the Mustang.
“So yeah, just huge learning how different the car is and everything is just that little bit nicer in the ergonomics and how they handle, so I’m sure once we get properly testing we’ll get into it.”
The teenager is the son of former speedway racer Steve Vaughan and learnt his craft on dirt.
“My Dad raced speedway for 30 years,” he said.
“I guess that’s where it started, we’re a dirt racing background and I then naturally started racing on the dirt in dirt go-karting which is huge in South Australia.
“Then one day I had a try at my local bitumen go-kart track and I haven’t looked back since.
“So I did a bit of that for about six months and then we went out and bought a Hyundai Excel and I still have that now, still racing around.
“We also bought a Toyota 86, we did everything ourselves, just me and Dad, and we learnt a lot doing it just from the preparation to travelling around the country and before you know it we got a call-up to drive a Super3 car.
“That was an easy ‘yes’, I was never going to say no to that. I’m just lucky that I have got the people behind me that can fund the journey.”
Vaughan will have Elly Morrow for a teammate this season, with Best not returning to Super2 after finishing runner-up the past two years for Tickford.
Best is still contracted with Tickford, however.
