Ready to give it his Best shot

With a superb debut season with Tickford Racing under his belt Benalla’s Zak Best is returning to the team for an action-packed 2022.

After a runner-up performance in the 2021 development series, Best is keen to come out of the gates strongly in the new season as Tickford pursues its third Super2 Series championship.

“I’m pumped to be back with Tickford Racing this year,” Best said.

Sights have been set on taking out the Dunlop Super2 Series crown, with Best also due to compete as a co-driver in the Bathurst 1000 in October.

“We had a strong 2021, coming second in Super2, and I feel like we can definitely make a run at the title this year, so I’m looking forward to having another shot at it,” he said.

“To have the chance to race in the Bathurst 1000 is really exciting, obviously I got to race in it last year, but it came together fairly quickly, so having that signed off early in the year is pretty cool.”

Throughout the 2021 season, Best recorded top four finishes in eight of his nine races, including his first Super2 pole and race win at Townsville, and was leading the second race at Sydney Motorsport Park when it was cancelled due to torrential rain.

Best was the only debutant at last year’s Bathurst 1000 following a surprise call-up, producing an impressive showing at Mount Panorama to catch the attention of many.

Tickford Racing chief executive and team principal Tim Edwards said he was thrilled to have Best back on board for the upcoming season.

“Zak was incredibly impressive last year, so we’re very happy to be continuing with him in our program this season,” Edwards said.

“His progression across 2021 was fantastic and, of course, his performance at Bathurst was outstanding, especially given that he got the call only six weeks before the race.

“Statistically he drove one of the best races among the co-drivers, which is remarkable considering he was the only driver making his Bathurst debut.

“He certainly showed that he’s a driver on the rise, so we’re delighted to be continuing with Zak in 2022.”

The Dunlop Super2 Series kicks off its 2022 season with the Supercars Championship at Sydney SuperNight, March 4-6, at Sydney Motorsport Park.