Departing Edwards keen for swansong after tense win
Supercars
31 Oct
Tim Edwards ready for final round as Tickford boss
Edwards has overseen 80 wins, including two Bathurst victories
Edwards joined Cam Waters in drivers parade and race podium on Saturday
Tim Edwards has overseen over 80 Supercars victories in nearly 20 years at the helm of Tickford Racing, but Cam Waters’ nail-biting Gold Coast victory still had the outgoing boss on tenterhooks.
Waters defeated Shane van Gisbergen by 0.19s in a thrilling Race 25 at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 on Saturday.
The Monster Energy Ford star backed it up with a podium on Sunday, with David Reynolds holding out Brodie Kostecki in another grandstand finish.
Saturday’s result was a relief for Edwards, who will depart the Ford team at the end of the season after nearly 20 years in the top job.
However, given the stress in the Tickford garages in the final stages of Saturday’s race, Edwards is ready to simply enjoy his final round at the forthcoming VAILO Adelaide 500.
“It was probably a good job I left my blood pressure tablets at the hotel, because if I had the packet here yesterday, I would’ve chewed the whole lot,” Edwards joked on the Schick Cool Down Lap podcast.
“I'm looking forward to it. I enjoyed this weekend, and I hope I do the same thing in Adelaide.
“To be honest, whatever happens on track at Adelaide, I'm gonna enjoy my last race."
Edwards’ storied career in motorsport goes beyond Supercars, with his journey including a 15-year stint in Formula One.
He cited Waters’ victory as his most euphoric since his team brought home a nail-biting one-two in Perth in 2012, when Will Davison and Mark Winterbottom held off Jamie Whincup in a classic finish.
However, the typically coy Edwards joked the team wanted more despite Waters bringing home another podium on Sunday following an error in the morning’s Top Ten Shootout.
Regardless, Edwards is set to go out on a high with his team, with Thomas Randle and James Courtney also finishing in the top 10 in Saturday’s race.
“You always want more, but a first and third was good,” Edwards said continued.
“It was a strong weekend. It was a great result for Thomas yesterday as well, without the mistake we made this morning in qualifying, he would’ve been at the pointy end again.
“Three in the [top] 10 yesterday, two today.”
The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship will conclude at the VAILO Adelaide 500 on November 23-26.
