Moffat joins Tickford for Supercars enduros

Moffat was left without a full-time drive for the 2018 season thanks to a fall-out with the Garry Rogers Motorsport crew, which ultimately opted to promote rookie James Golding to partner Garth Tander.

Having conceded even before the end of last season that he'd likely be bound for an enduro drive, the one-time race winner and former Bathurst podium finisher didn't stay on the market for long. He's been signed by Tickford Racing – the re-branded Prodrive Racing Australia outfit – for this year's long-distance races.

“James was at the top of the list in our co-driver search,” said Tickford boss Tim Edwards, “so bringing him aboard is a big tick for us.

"You always want a co-driver who has the right blend of pace and maturity to be quick and consistent, and we believe we’ve got that in James.

"He’s had plenty of experience in these cars since debuting with us all those years ago, and should make a great addition as we go after another Enduro Cup and try to get back atop the podium at Bathurst.”

It's a return of sorts for Moffat, who made his main game debut for the squad, then known as Ford Performance Racing, alongside Steve Richards back in 2010.

He went on to enjoy stints as a full-timer with Nissan Motorsport – which yielded a race win at Winton in 2013 – and GRM, before finding himself without a seat for 2018.

“Certainly I feel like I’ll be able to bring some pretty current experience,” Moffat added.

“Obviously I know myself, and when you’re a main game driver you always want a co-driver that’s got experience. Perhaps I’m somebody that fits that criteria, and at the same time while I’ve got a bit of experience, hopefully I’ve got a bit of speed to offer as well which proves to be a pretty successful combination.”

Exactly who Moffat will partner has not yet been revealed. Tickford still has a year left to run on its co-driver contracts with both Dean Canto and Steve Owen – who partnered Mark Winterbottom and Chaz Mostert respectively at this year's enduros.

The team's other two full-time drivers, Cam Waters and Richie Stanaway, will now have to be split thanks to Stanaway's promotion to the fourth car.

That effectively means Moffat could slot into any of the four cars in the Tickford stable.

Regardless of who he partners, Moffat reckons his Tickford return offers a golden chance to win a Bathurst 1000 crown.

“Clearly Bathurst is the biggest; I think we can go there as genuine contenders for the race, and that’s exciting for me,” he added.

“Obviously the team showed really strong pace towards the back half of the year, and hopefully the team can keep that momentum into 2018. It’s good to have something locked away. I think all parties involved are excited about it, and I’m looking forward to the experience.”