Future undecided but Slade remains at ease
GOLD Coast driver Tim Slade has no contract for 2018 but he is the furthest thing from being concerned about his Supercars future.
Slade, who is preparing for his home race this weekend, joined Brad Jones Racing in 2016 on a deal that expires at the end of this year. The 32year-old said no formalities had been sorted with regards to his future at the family-run Albury team – and even forgot as much, so relaxed is he about his prospects.
“He (Brad) is a very straight shooter,” Slade told the Gold Coast Bulletin.
“I have a very good relationship with he and Kim (coowner Kim Jones).
“They sort of feel like the kind of people you can drive for based on a handshake rather than a 50-page contract.”
Slade is leading the charge among BJR’s three cars – he is 14th overall compared to Nick Percat (21st) and Tim Blanchard (22nd) – in what has been a trying season for the team.
A fourth place in Ipswich is his best result for the year, though his maiden campaign with the team in 2016 proved far more fruitful, bagging a pair of wins at Winton en route to eighth in the standings.
Percat’s place is secure in the No.8 Commodore with a long-term contract existing, while Blanchard’s future is up in the air.
The latter owns the licence for BJR’s third entry but is unsure whether he will continue on for a fifth full-time Supercars season. Macauley Jones, Brad’s son, is favourite to step into the No.21 car if Blanchard decides to stop.