The 'weird' debut that set up Waters' career
It was a "weird" start to life in Supercars for Cam Waters, who this weekend will record 100 round starts.
This weekend’s OTR SuperSprint will be No. 100 for Waters, and his 95th with Tickford Racing.
In the 11 years since his debut, Waters has started over 200 races and won eight times.
Like his peers, Waters battled to the top via Formula Ford and Super2.
However, how he got his first Supercars start generated nationwide coverage.
Waters won a Great Race drive for 2011 when he took out the Shannons Supercar Showdown reality TV series.
Waters made his Supercars - and Bathurst - debut at 17
The show pitted 10 drivers from around the world in a series of challenges.
The winner earned themselves a Kelly Racing wildcard seat for the 2011 Great Race.
Waters won the series and became the youngest driver ever to compete in the Bathurst 1000.
The Mildura-born driver was aged just 17 years, two months and six days when he started the race.
A wild spin in practice and Forrest’s Elbow crash in the race ensured Waters had undergone a baptism of fire.
However, he impressed with his confidence, paving the way to the star he is today.
"A weird way to start your Supercar career, by winning a reality TV show," Waters told Supercars.com.
"It was a really cool experience, and it helped set me up for the next few years.
"We found some sponsors and got into the Dunlop Series."
The high-speed spin at Brock’s Skyline would soften the most seasoned drivers.
Waters, however, wasn’t intent on pottering around, although in hindsight the moment was a bullet dodged.
"That was a full-on moment," he said of the Skyline spin.
Waters won the 2015 Super2 title
"I didn’t think a lot of it at the time, but having been to Bathurst a few times now… yeah, it was big."
A Super2 debut with the Kellys followed, before he scored a seat with Minda Motorsport.
He finished 20th in Bathurst alongside fellow teen Jesse Dixon, the winner of the 2012 edition of the Shannons Supercar Showdown.
Waters and Dixon were the youngest driver combination in the race's history.
He scored the backing of Ford Performance Racing for 2014, and won the Super2 title for the team the following year.
That title was built off the back of a season being skippered by Dave Patterson, who linked up with Waters the year before.
Three wins already in 2022
Waters and Jack Perkins fought for a Bathurst podium in 2014, only to cop a penalty for a pit lane infringement.
He was announced on the eve of the 2016 season as he pilot of #6, which he has raced ever since.
"My first year as a proper co-driver with Jack, that was cool," said Waters, who is third in the 2022 standings.
"Doing that whole enduro campaign and getting that experience with the team was important.
"Dave ‘Patto', the engineer on that car, engineered me in '15 in Super2.
"We went on to win the whole thing, and I joined the main game in ’16.
"Little things like that helped get me where I am today."
Cars will hit the track at the OTR SuperSprint on Saturday. Purchase your tickets now.
ATCC/Supercars round starts (active drivers)*
257: Mark Winterbottom227: James Courtney227: Will Davison221: Lee Holdsworth209: Shane van Gisbergen181: David Reynolds178: Tim Slade131: Scott Pye124: Chaz Mostert123: Nick Percat99: Cam Waters90: Andre Heimgartner72: Jack Le Brocq65: Todd Hazelwood61: Anton De Pasquale, Macauley Jones, Chris Pither42: James Golding37: Jack Smith36: Bryce Fullwood28: Jake Kostecki26: Will Brown22: Brodie Kostecki16: Thomas Randle9: Broc Feeney
ATCC/Supercars race starts (active drivers)*
579: Mark Winterbottom514: James Courtney504: Will Davison496: Lee Holdsworth469: Shane van Gisbergen390: David Reynolds385: Tim Slade298: Scott Pye282: Chaz Mostert274: Nick Percat209: Cam Waters203: Andre Heimgartner156: Jack Le Brocq145: Todd Hazelwood140: Anton De Pasquale132: Macauley Jones122: Chris Pither91: Jack Smith87: Bryce Fullwood77: James Golding69: Jake Kostecki61: Will Brown57: Brodie Kostecki38: Thomas Randle22: Broc Feeney
*Correct to 2022 NTI Townsville 500
