Randle wary of Darwin 'challenges' in wildcard return

Thomas Randle is wary of the "challenges” he will face at this weekend’s Merlin Darwin Triple Crown, where he will mark his second wildcard appearance of the season.

Randle, along with Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Kurt Kostecki, will compete at Hidden Valley this weekend.

The 2020 Dunlop Super2 Series champion impressed at last month’s OTR SuperSprint, notably finishing eighth in Race 10.

This weekend marks another key challenge for the two young guns; Randle has never raced in Darwin before.

It will be another baptism of fire for both drivers, with the field to compete on the new Dunlop Super Soft tyre compound for the first time.

WATCH: NINE SEARING DARWIN MOMENTS

Looking back to his impressive Tailem Bend showing, Randle admitted to the Insert Sport Here podcast he had little idea of where he would rank in the field.

“It was tricky to know where we’d end up that weekend,” said Randle, who had limited running before his Bend appearance.

“You’re sort of entering the championship four rounds in, and there were a few guys who had been there a few weeks before doing a rookie test, which we weren’t allowed to do.

“I hadn’t raced a Supercar since the 2020 Bathurst 1000 as a co-driver, so it was a good eight months [between drives].

“I wasn’t sure where I’d pop out, but to be quite strong on Sunday was really good.”

A rainy Saturday at The Bend ensured Randle and Kostecki, like those around them, battled to find pace in changing conditions.

Come Sunday, and sunshine had replaced rain, with Randle avoiding the start chaos to fight his way into the top 10. 

The day got even better for Tickford, with Cameron Waters holding off Shane van Gisbergen to clinch a thrilling victory.

“I think we qualified 13th in the wet on Saturday, and those conditions were so tricky,” he said.

“On Saturday, every session the conditions were different, and we didn’t get a dry new tyre run until Sunday qualifying.

“There was certainly a lot to learn; I’d never qualified on that tyre there.

WATCH: RADIO OF RANDLE'S ESCAPE IN RACE 10

“To finish in the top eight, I was blown away. I got lucky with the carnage at Turn 6; I just followed van Gisbergen. If anyone’s gonna get through carnage, he’ll get through it.

“If he didn’t, well... he made the mistake first! But that was really fantastic, and I want to try and capitalise on that heading into Darwin.”

His full-time competitors will also be green, with the Winton SuperSprint’s postponement meaning Supercars haven’t hit the track in six weeks.

“Darwin’s going to throw its own challenges,” he continued.

“I’ve never raced there, and it’s a new tyre compound for everyone.

“I think it’ll be quite interesting to watch."

Should he again impress in Darwin, as well as the Perth wildcard and Bathurst enduro for Tickford, Randle will throw his hat firmly in the ring for a full-time drive in 2022.

Tickford downscaled to three cars this season, but with two Racing Entitlement Contracts (REC) up for tender, Randle’s 2022 could be looking much more busy.

The 25-year-old said elevation to Tickford’s full-time ranks would justify his family’s sacrifices for aiding his career, which was stunted last year due to his battle with testicular cancer.

“It would be pretty amazing,” he said when asked of a full-time drive in 2022.

“It would validate everything we’ve done, as in the Randle family, for the last 15 years.

“All the weekends away karting with Dad all around Australia, then moving up to Formula Ford and winning that, and all the championships I’ve been lucky to race in.

“To finally get that full-time drive would be pretty amazing, because it’s the top level of Australian motorsport.

“I feel like I deserve to be there, and if it were to happen, it would be a massive relief."

The Repco Supercars Championship field will return to the Northern Territory this weekend for the Merlin Darwin Triple Crown. Tickets are available here.

The event will be broadcast live on Foxtel and will be streamed on Kayo, and will be broadcast live and free on Seven.