Tickford reviving iconic Ford Performance Racing livery
Thomas Randle to run 2007 Bathurst pole-winning look at Sandown
2026 Castrol retro look decided by fan poll
Tickford Racing will revive a classic Ford Performance Racing livery for Thomas Randle at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500.
Randle's #55 Castrol Mustang will take on the livery that Mark Winterbottom and Steven Richards nearly took to Bathurst 1000 glory in 2007.
After a then-26-year-old Winterbottom claimed a stunning Shootout pole, he and Richards led a combined 74 laps, and were on course for victory until a late rain shower caught out Winterbottom with 14 laps to go.
Spearing off at The Chase, Winterbottom nearly rolled as he tripped through the gravel, almost wiped out eventual winner Craig Lowndes as he surfed out the other side, and eventually recovered to finish 10th.
The iconic green, white, and red colours were then raced to victory a few weeks later on the Gold Coast by Richards. Now, almost 20 years on, the BF Falcon livery will be reborn on a Gen3 Mustang.
"Seeing one of Richo's cars from that '07 era back on track will be a really cool moment,” Winterbottom said.
"It's got good and bad history for me. At Bathurst in 2007, Saturday was pole position, one of the best days of my life, and Sunday was almost one of the worst. We led 74 laps, but had nothing to show for it. It has a lot of meaning either way.
“That livery was one of my favourites, and that's what I voted for. We didn't win the race at Bathurst, but it was almost the most dominant weekend we've ever had. The best thing about retro liveries is the story behind them, and 99 percent of that car were great memories.”
2026 marks the third season that Tickford and Castrol have combined to create a retro livery for Sandown, after adopting a TOM'S Toyota Supra look in 2024, and the iconic Larry Perkins 'saw-tooth' livery last year.
This year, Castrol teamed up with V8 Sleuth to open a fan vote for the 2026 retro look, the Winterbottom/Richards livery edging out designs raced by the likes of Russell Ingall, Greg Murphy, and Tony Longhurst.
“Firstly, I just want to say a huge thank you to Tickford, Castrol and V8 Sleuth for running this competition, and a big thank you to everyone who voted for their favourite livery for me to represent at the Sandown 500 this year,” added Randle.
“I’m pretty stoked that the winning livery is the '07 BF Falcon FPR livery, that was the one I was gunning for, and I swear it’s not rigged."
Randle is one of a number of drivers fighting for the last berths in the Finals Series at Bathurst, currently sitting 12th in points, and 63 points outside the Finals bubble. Bathurst debutant Reuben Goodall will co-drive the #55.
