Moffat returns to Tickford Racing for enduros

James Moffat will return to the team with which he made his Supercars debut this year, after signing a PIRTEK Enduro Cup deal with Tickford Racing.

Moffat lost his full-time Garry Rogers Motorsport drive to James Golding at the end of 2017, with the Ford squad swooping to add the race winner to its enduro line-up.

He joins Dean Canto and Steve Owen as confirmed co-drivers for 2018, that pair entering the second campaign of two-year deals. 

It marks something of a homecoming for the 33-year-old following seven full-time Supercars seasons with Dick Johnson Racing, Nissan Motorsport and GRM.

In 2010, he raced for what was then Ford Performance Racing in the Dunlop Super2 Series and made his enduro debut alongside Steven Richards.

A decision on which of Tickford’s four drivers Moffat will partner is yet to be made.

“Obviously I think it’s a great opportunity to join up with everybody at Tickford Racing, and is something I’m really looking forward to,” Moffat said.

“This all happened pretty quickly. My main focus, once it became clear to me that I wasn’t going to be able to remain full-time in the championship, was to secure a co-drive that I thought put me in as good a position possible to win some of the biggest races of the year.

“It’s exciting to join what is already a pretty strong group, and I’m just really looking forward to working with everybody on the team and hopefully achieving some great results.”

Moffat and Richards finished 11th at Bathurst in 2010 with Ford Performance Racing 

Tickford Racing, as the team is now known following an off-season rebrand, won the PIRTEK Enduro Cup for the first time in 2017 with Chaz Mostert and Owen.

Mostert finished as its top driver in the championship in fifth, ahead of Mark Winterbottom - who has shared with Canto in the enduros since 2016 - and Cameron Waters in sixth and eighth.

Rookie Richie Stanaway joins its full-time line-up this year to replace Jason Bright, having won at Sandown last September with Waters.

“James was at the top of the list in our co-driver search, so bringing him aboard is a big tick for us,” team principal Tim Edwards said.

“You always want a co-driver who has the right blend of pace and maturity to be quick and consistent, and we believe we’ve got that in James.

“He’s had plenty of experience in these cars since debuting with us all those years ago, and should make a great addition as we go after another Enduro Cup and try to get back atop the podium at Bathurst.”