Resilient Randle is ready for his double-duty weekend

Fellow Kiwis, especially race fans who know this bloke, listen up.

I've known this chap for three short years, during which time I've only had the pleasure of his company for an ever so brief five week stint in the Castrol Toyota Racing Series. Hand on heart, though, he must be one of the most selfless, humble and likeable guys I have had the pleasure to meet in motor racing - well, since the late great Jason Richards anyway.

Not only did Thomas Randle win 'our' premier single seater series, he was also the first Aussie to do so, reversing the flow of Kiwi stuff claimed by the Aussies: Phar Lap, lamingtons, that eggwhite and sugar pudding named after that ballet sheila, the Finn brothers...  

Not only that but he brought the small but perfectly formed Victory Motor Racing team to the podium with him. Nelson based, Victory has been a presence in the series for years.  Back in the day the team ran Brendon Hartley and Daniil Kvyat, both of whom have since gone on to bigger things and F1 drives.

Not only THAT but more recently he's won a race that is far more significant on a personal level. Yup, Thomas got cancer - testicular cancer. He got treated and - at this stage - has beaten it. To read his online posts about it he's as tough-minded in recuperation as he is on the race track.

So even though he's been a huge force in motor racing, having got through a personal health scare like that he could be forgiven if he knuckled under at the arrival of Covid 19, right? Nope.

Thomas is still racing, still winning and still in love with life. This week he's living the dream with Nick Percat, racing at Bathurst in the closing round of the 2020 Aussie Supercar series.

He's a busy boy. Not only is he set to race in the final round of the Super2 season in which he leads the championship, but he’ll also race in his second Bathurst 1000 – where he and his Holden teammate Nick Percat will be one of the lead pairings.

“Broadly, the opportunity that is there for me to go and do double duties at Mount Panorama is just an awesome thing,” Randle said as he prepares for the biggest weekend in Australian motorsport.

“Just the fact that we can go racing after a year that we’ve all lived through is amazing really – it’s been a challenging year for everyone.”

“And for the guys at Matt White Racing in particular, they’ve all had to go and serve a two week quarantine period in Darwin just so we can run in Super2 – that’s seriously amazing and I’ve got to thank them for their dedication.”

Just to make the grid at Bathurst has been a three month investment for Randle – who relocated to Queensland after the most recent Super2 event in Sydney, rather than return to Melbourne which has been under rolling Stage-4 lockdown restrictions.

“Going to Queensland was the smartest move I could have made and it’s ensured I’ll be in the best shape possible for the event,” Randle explained. 

“I did it purely to protect my co-driver role for the 1000, but the move allowed me to continue my preparation – I could swim, I could ride, I could go to the gym and race Rusty's Bentley GT3 car at Tailem Bend – which in retrospect were all things I wouldn’t have been able to do if I’d gone home to Melbourne.”

The sheer workload ahead for Randle is daunting – with on-track commitments across all four days of the event in both the BJR Commodore in the Bathurst 1000, and his MWM prepared Skye Sands Nissan Altima in the Super2 series.

Known as doing “double duties”, Randle is well aware he’ll have more laps and more pressure around Mount Panorama than ever before.

“Last year was my first experience doing Super2 and co driving, and last year was my first Bathurst 1000 – so at least now I know what I’m in for,” Randle says.

“When I think back to this time last year, I am so much better prepared for what’s to come, sure there is pressure – but opportunities like these are what we race for.”

Meanwhile here at home, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand has confirmed its 2021 Castrol Toyota Racing Series dates, but not the venues.

The 2021 series will run over its traditional five weekends beginning on January 22nd - 24th. The championship's final round will take place over the weekend of February 19th-21st. 

Manfeild's CEO has confirmed the circuit has lost the right to host the New Zealand Grand Prix but no venues have been confirmed for any of the proposed five rounds. TGRNZ is working with promoter Speed Works and MSNZ to announce those in due course.

At speed in the 2017 Castrol Toyota Racing Series. Bruce Jenkins photo