"We're not panicking': Tickford boss defends Randle
Tickford boss defends Thomas Randle amid critical slump
Randle sits 10th, 20 points ahead of Penrite Racing rival Kai Allen
Tickford star has two podiums and a pole at Tailem Bend
Tickford Racing CEO Simon Brookhouse insists there's no panic despite Thomas Randle dropping to 10th in the championship ahead of the all-important Ryco Enduro Cup.
Tickford's two drivers ended the Repco Sprint Cup portion of the season in fourth and 10th, with Cam Waters odds-on to clinch his Finals berth at the next round in Tailem Bend.
Waters left Ipswich with a crucial podium, and is 506 points ahead of ninth position. Should Waters leave The Bend 301 points clear of ninth, he will be through to the playoffs.
It's a more desperate situation for Randle, who after sitting 166 points clear in Perth, is now 20 points ahead of 11th placed Kai Allen.
Allen drew closer to a Finals berth courtesy of a double podium weekend at Queensland Raceway, with the rising star benefiting from a Safety Car to race from 22nd to third.
Randle, meanwhile, has largely been undone in qualifying, but a Townsville crash was just one of several recent strokes of poor luck.
Randle's Finals hopes are now in the hands of the longest races of the season and his co-driver James Moffat, but he has a chance to hit back immediately at The Bend.
The Victorian himself insisted he isn't concerned, and his team boss feels the same.
"I think as a team we've just got to be a bit more consistent, we've got to improve our car speed," Brookhouse said in Ipswich.
"Thomas is driving really well, he's had a couple of races where he hasn't had a lot of luck, he's had cars drive over the top of him probably twice in the last couple of rounds, so that doesn't help.
"But you make your own luck as well, so we're not panicking at all, we've got a strong team, he's obviously got Moff driving with him for the next couple of rounds, he's a very experienced co-driver.
"I think that's going to help a lot, and he's had success at Tailem before himself, so he'll go in there really confidently, and we'll just keep getting as many points as we can and see where we finish up."
Randle claimed a pole and two podiums at The Bend in 2023.
