Confirmed: Waters set for NASCAR Cup Series debut

Supercars star Cam Waters will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Sonoma Raceway with RFK Racing, the Ford team has confirmed.

Tickford Racing star Waters will debut in the Cup Series next month, having recently made two starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Waters, 29, will race a third RFK Mustang as part of its Stage 60 program.

The Mildura-born driver will steer the #60 Ford in an open entry at the California road course on June 9, a week before the betr Darwin Triple Crown.

An 11-time Supercars winner, Waters recently made two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts for ThorSport Racing at Martinsville Speedway and Kansas Speedway.

Before he heads Stateside, Waters will resume his 2024 Repco Supercars Championship campaign at this weekend's Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint.

“This opportunity for me is a dream come true and one that I do not take lightly given the global audience of NASCAR and the Cup Series,” Waters said in a press release.

“I’ve been fortunate to dip my toes into the NASCAR waters a bit this year and am excited to put my road-racing experience to the test this summer. It takes a village to make something like this come to fruition."

Waters is the latest star from Down Under to take on the Cup Series, following the likes of Shane van Gisbergen and Brodie Kostecki.

The deal was teased by RFK Racing on Tuesday (AEST), with Waters widely tipped to take the seat.

Triple Eight rival and current Supercars championship leader Will Brown has also been linked to a start at Sonoma, with Chevrolet squad Richard Childress Racing.

Stage 60 is similar to the Project 91 program, led by Trackhouse Racing, that handed van Gisbergen his historic debut in Chicago last July.

Waters, a two-time Supercars runner-up, will compete within the Ford family, which is celebrating its first Cup Series win of the season, courtesy of RFK Racing part-owner Brad Keselowski at Darlington.

He is the second driver to race in the Stage 60 Ford, following David Ragan's Daytona 500 start in February.

Mark Rushbrook, Ford Performance Motorsports global director, said Waters has already got the ball rolling, working with Ragan in the simulator.

“Cam has certainly logged his share of miles the last couple of months flying back and forth from Australia, but he’s done a great job familiarising himself with NASCAR and working with David Ragan in our simulator,” Rushbrook said.

“It’s always exciting when we can have someone from another part of our global motorsports family compete in a different series, and we feel this is a great opportunity for him to showcase his talent.

"We’re grateful to RFK for initiating this Stage 60 program, and we’re looking forward to Sonoma.”

International viewers can follow all the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint action on Superview. Tickets for the event are on sale now.