TICKFORD Racing will welcome Elly Morrow and Brad Vaughan into its fold for the 2023 Dunlop Super2 Series, while also retaining Zak Best in an undisclosed capacity.
V8 Sleuth revealed earlier this week that Morrow will switch from Brad Jones Racing to Tickford next season.
It’d been no secret that Tickford was planning on re-expanding to two cars in the second tier for the first time since 2017, and now Super3 title contender Brad Vaughan has been confirmed as Morrow’s teammate.
Best, the youngest polesitter in Repco Supercars Championship history, will not return to Super2.
With Tickford tipped to keep its existing main game quartet of Cam Waters, James Courtney, Thomas Randle and Jake Kostecki, that likely means another year of sporadic top-flight appearances (solo wildcards and endurance co-driving) for Best.
“Zak has done a tremendous job in Super2 these last two seasons,” said Tickford CEO Tim Edwards.
“His progression on and off the track has been exceptional and he has become an excellent example of what our development program is about.
“Zak will still be racing with us in 2023 – and we will announce those plans in due course – but we will focus our Super2 efforts on developing Elly and Brad from 2023.”
Among Tickford’s Super2 alumni are Waters, Randle, James Moffat, Chaz Mostert, Garry Jacobson, Jack Le Brocq and Broc Feeney.
Morrow and Vaughan will be armed with Gen2 Mustangs handed down from the squad’s 2022 Supercars Championship campaign.
“Tickford Racing has a long history of developing young talent into future stars of our sport, and we are extremely happy to add Elly and Brad to our program in 2023,” said Tickford managing director Rod Nash.
“With the progression of Gen2 regulations to Super2 we felt the time was right to expand our Super2 team again and really build on our reputation for helping today’s talent become tomorrow’s stars, and we have a great opportunity to do just that with our 2023 driver line-up.
“We have a long-term vision with both Elly and Brad, we’re very excited about their potential in the sport and are looking forward to developing them through our program from 2023.”
Vaughan has spent the season with Anderson Motorsport driving Waters’ 2015 title-winning Falcon.
“I’m really excited to join Tickford Racing next season,” said the 18-year-old South Australian.
“We’ve raced in Super3 this year and have had a very successful year, it’s been great for learning a V8 and gets you on the big stage, but I’m really looking forward to hopping in a Ford Mustang.
“Jumping from a Project Blueprint car to a Gen2 Supercar Mustang will be a big learning curve, but we’ll be right.
“I have some great people around me both in Tickford’s Super2 program and the main game team, so I’m really looking forward to it.
“It’s the best seat, I believe in Super2 in 2023, so while it’ll take some learning I feel like I have no excuses, I can’t wait to get after it with the team in the new year.”
Morrow added: “It’s going to be cool driving a Mustang straight off of the main game grid, and it’s a little extra special coming from a family that has always barracked for Ford.
“I’ve only been racing in cars for about 12 months which has been a big learning curve, but I’ve really enjoyed learning how it all works and am excited to learn more working with Tickford.
“I’ve been really happy with the environment they have and learning how they operate, and I’ve never had a teammate in Super2 before so I’m looking forward to working with Brad.
“We did an evaluation day with Tickford a couple weeks ago and the car was really good to drive, it really did all you could ask for, so that’s made me that little bit more excited for next year, I can’t wait to get started.”
Tickford could yet clinch its third Super2 crown this weekend, with Best entering the Adelaide finale just 75 points behind Triple Eight’s Declan Fraser.
