Ford ace the real deal for crown

FORD ace Cameron Waters has vowed to deliver a Supercars crown and Bathurst 1000 for Tickford Racing after locking in his future with the squad.

As Waters confirmed a multi-year deal with the team before the Supercars resumption in Sydney, he said he had not given up hope of chasing down series leader Shane van Gisbergen.

While Tickford Racing held an option to retain the championship runner-up, it tore up the contract and negotiated a new deal to extend his tenure.

Waters finished second in last year’s championship behind triple Supercars champion Scott Mclaughlin Laughlinaughlin and is intent on delivering ivvering a V8 crown for the team that gave vev him his first full- time drive in the e series.

“They gave e me the oppor- tunity in 2016 to o step into the SuS percars championpionp ship with them andand and each year we have built together,” he said.

“Now I’m in a position where I feel like I can give back to them a bit and hopefully give them a Bathurst win or a championship and heaps of trophies.

“We have definitely been getting stronger and stronger every year and I feel like I’m getting better in the car as well.

“We went into this year aiming to get a championship. We’re third currently, a little bit behind Shane and it’s not over but we’d like to be closer.

“But 100 per cent I think we are capable of getting a championship . . . if we can’t get it done this year we’re ready to go next year and go after that No.1.”

In a boost for the team, global energy drink giant Monster Energy has also signed as the naming rights partner.

Waters sits third in the standings behind Triple Eight duo van Gisbergen and Jamie Whincup as Supercars prepares to return from a threemonth hiatus due to Covid at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The 27-year-old trails van Gisbergen by 412 points with five rounds remaining – four at SMP and a blockbuster finale at the Bathurst 1000.

Waters has three race wins for the year, the closest any driver has to van Gisbergen’s tally of 11.

The Mildura-born racer was aware of the challenge in front of him to close the gap, but he was not ruling himself out yet.

“I think we can definitely close it,” Waters said.

“I’m going to have to have a pretty good car at Sydney, and I’m probably going to need him to have a little bit of bad luck but there is a lot of racing to be done in Sydney, a lot of points on offer.

“So I’m just going to have to get through the four Sydney weekends and try to close that gap to within 300 and then Bathurst alone is 300 points. “I haven’t given up hope.” After finishing second in the Bathurst 1000 last year behind van Gisbergen after claiming pole position, Waters is desperate to go one better at Mt Panorama when he will pair with James Moffat.

“I’m pumped to get back to Bathurst,” Waters said.