Tickford Supercars switch for Morrow, Vaughan
Elly Morrow and Brad Vaughan will join an expanded Tickford Racing line-up for the 2023 Super2 season.
The famous Ford squad will expand its second-tier programme to two cars for next season as the current Gen2 hardware filters down.
Morrow and Vaughan will campaign the two Tickford Mustangs in what will be the first year the model has been eligible for Super2.
Zak Best, who has been Tickford's sole Super2 driver for the past two seasons, will stay with the team but move on from Super2.
Best was known to be looking at a full-time main game promotion for 2023 and was linked to the Matt Stone Racing vacancy that ultimately went to Cam Hill.
With those efforts proving unsuccessful, Best is now set to run a sprint round wildcard at some point during the season, while also forming part of Tickford's Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000 line-up.
As for the new Super2 drivers, Morrow joins from Brad Jones Racing after what was her first season in the series.
She is also taking part in the S5000 Tasman Series which concludes in Adelaide this weekend.
“It’s going to be cool driving a Mustang straight off of the main game grid, and it’s a little extra special coming from a family that has always barracked for Ford," said Morrow of the Tickford deal.
"I’ve only been racing in cars for about 12 months which has been a big learning curve, but I’ve really enjoyed learning how it all works and am excited to learn more working with Tickford.
"I’ve been really happy with the environment they have and learning how they operate, and I’ve never had a teammate in Super2 before so I’m looking forward to working with Brad.
"We did an evaluation day with Tickford a couple weeks ago and the car was really good to drive, it really did all you could ask for, so that’s made me that little bit more excited for next year."
Vaughan, meanwhile, made his Supercars debut in the third-tier Super3 Series this year, which shares a grid with Super2.
He has impressed in his rookie season and heads into this weekend's Adelaide finale sitting second in the points and still in contention for the title.
The move to Super2 in what will be a transitional year means he will jump straight from a Project Blueprint Supercar to Gen2-spec Car of the Future Supercar.
“We’ve raced in Super3 this year and have had a very successful year," he said.
"It’s been great for learning a V8 and gets you on the big stage, but I’m really looking forward to hopping in a Ford Mustang.
"Jumping from a Project Blueprint car to a Gen2 Supercar Mustang will be a big learning curve, but we’ll be right. I have some great people around me both in Tickford’s Super2 programme and the main game team, so I’m really looking forward to it.
"It’s the best seat, I believe, in Super2 in 2023, so while it’ll take some learning I feel like I have no excuses, I can’t wait to get after it with the team in the new year.”
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