Dominant Dalton leads Tickford tear up
By Thomas Miles
Date posted: 12 July 2025
After four years of trying, Lochie Dalton is finally a Super2 winner and did it in style by dominating the Townsville opener and spearheading a historic Tickford quadfecta.
Tickford’s dominance reached new heights as the team became the first ever to fill the entire top four of a Super2 race.
Dalton dominated with a lights-to-flag drive from pole, leaving his teammates to battle for best of the rest.
An opportunistic move on the third corner of the race allowed Reuben Goodall to steal second from Rylan Gray, while Nash Morris gained two spots off the line to complete the quartet.
Best of the rest was Jackson Walls leading Campbell Logan and Jobe Stewart.
Dalton and Gray got an even launch as Morris’ fast start made it a Tickford top four when the field roarded down to Turn 2
Dalton prevailed on the inside to snatch the lead from Gray, which opened the door for Goodall to pounce.
With Gray stuck on the outside, Goodall dived down the inside at Turn 3 to snare second.
All 23 cars made it safely through the first lap, but only just with Sweeny somehow stopping himself from being spun at Turn 2 after suffering a hit.
The BRT driver ended up in the action again on the second tour of the hairpin, where he muscled Elliott Cleary wide and the Eggleston driver was lucky to avoid a big hit with the tyres.
A second clash at the hairpin proved one too many, with the Safety Car being required and this time Gillis and Hobson were at fault.
Gillis made a dive down the inside, but could not stop escorting both himself and Hobson head on into the tyres.
The race then settled down into a rhythm with Hillyer and Bates making the most ground.
Both drivers made up five spots with Hillyer getting himself into the top 10, while Bates sat just outside and was determined to get in there.
McLeod sat eighth, but dropped out with mechanical dramas after 16 laps and parked his Mustang.
Vaughan was also up there, but soon found himself sliding down the order and ended up being forced to box due to a flat tyre following a big lock up.
In the Tickford show up front, it quickly became a fight for second with Dalton checking out more than 2s up the road.
This left Goodall with his hands full keeping Gray at bay and the #55 was looking dangerous inside the final five minutes.
But Goodall responded and pulled 2s in the final two minutes to ensure there were no late scares for the Tickford camp.
The biggest late battle was a three-car clash for 11th between Bates, Burcher and Sweeny.
Burcher pounced on his teammate at the final corner, which brought Sweeny into play and he managed to split the Eggleston Commodores.
Super2 returns at 9.30 AEST with Sunday qualifying.
Image: DMAC Photography
Super2 Townsville Race 1 results
1: L. Dalton 26 laps
2: R. Goodall +1.9505
3: R. Gray +4.6060
4: N. Morris +8.6698
5: J. Walls +9.7254
2025 Townsville 500
FRIDAY 11th July
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