Slade at peace with retirement decision

Tim Slade insists he is content with his decision to hang up the helmet at the end of the 2024 Repco Supercars Championship.

Prior to the Repco Bathurst 1000 last month, Slade called time on his full-time Supercars career after PremiAir Nulon Racing confirmed he wouldn't return in 2025.

The Gold Coast-based team has since signed Richie Stanaway, who himself was moved on by Penrite Racing for Super2 champion Kai Allen.

Coincidentally, Slade’s career will end on the streets of Adelaide, where he made his Supercars debut in 2009 with Paul Morris Motorsport.

For now, the 39-year-old is preparing for his 207th and final round as a full-time Supercars driver, something he is at peace with.

“I'm happy with where I’m at,” Slade said on Supercars’ Drivers Only podcast.

“I’ve been in the sport for a long time, I’m genuinely looking forward to and excited for what’s next.

“It’s not like I'm still there hanging on, or, ‘I wish I could stay in there’ or whatever else. Like, I’m done. That’s me, and I'm happy where I'm at."

Where Slade ends up in the co-driver market still remains to be seen, with the driver himself telling Supercars.com he didn't want to miss a plumb co-drive by waiting for a new deal. Regardless, Slade says he has plans to get behind the wheel in another category to prepare for the enduros.

“It’s not cold turkey stop, with us, like a lot of other sports as well, you get to keep on playing if you want to," he said.

“As a co-driver, doing the enduros, it’s still a job. I’ll still try and put together some other racing, just to stay sharp for the enduros, because that’s what you need to do.”

Slade will mark 450 races at the VAILO Adelaide 500, becoming just the 18th driver in ATCC/Supercars history to hit the milestone.

While mathematically a chance to finish the season as high as 12th overall, Slade has ultimately fallen short in 2024, sitting 14 positions behind teammate James Golding in 20th with five top 10s in 22 starts.

PremiAir Nulon Racing is determined to send its departing driver out on a high, Competition Director Ludo Lacroix labelled Slade a “very good servant to the team."

Slade isn’t getting caught up in the emotion of retirement, however, adding: “Just normal [weekend], to be honest. Gold Coast was pretty average, as was Bathurst.

“I desperately want to try and have a bit of speed, and finish off with a decent weekend. Just treating it like any other weekend.”

Track action at the VAILO Adelaide 500 will commence on Thursday November 14. Tickets for the event are on sale now.