The 29-year-old Australian driver, a regular competitor for Tickford Racing in the Supercars series, has harbored a deep admiration for NASCAR for quite some time. Finally, he’s poised to make his debut in the Truck Series this Friday night at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia.
Waters’ journey to this moment began over a year ago when he first set eyes on the challenging .0526-mile oval at Martinsville Speedway. That visit sparked a 12-month quest to secure a competitive NASCAR ride that would align with his commitments in the Supercars series.
This weekend, Waters will pilot an additional Ford entry for ThorSport Racing, a team with a storied history of success in the Truck Series. His excitement was palpable as he expressed his anticipation for the upcoming race.
“I’m absolutely pumped. So excited to be, you know, finally having a race over here in a truck,” Waters remarked on Tuesday. “You know, I’ve always followed NASCAR and done a lot of oval stuff myself on dirt in Australia. This is pretty cool for me and something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Waters joins a growing list of Supercars stars who’ve ventured into NASCAR. Notably, Shane van Gisbergen and Brodie Kostecki have made recent forays into the American racing scene.
Van Gisbergen’s victory in his NASCAR Cup debut last July marked a significant milestone, propelling him into a full-time role in both the Xfinity and Cup series this season with Kaulig Racing. Similarly, Kostecki made his Cup debut last year, further showcasing the crossover appeal between the two motorsport disciplines.
Reflecting on his aspirations for a potential NASCAR career, Waters acknowledged it would be a “long journey.” While he dreams of racing full-time in NASCAR one day, he remains grounded in his current commitments in the Supercars series. For now, he’s relishing the opportunity to dip his toes into NASCAR waters and gain valuable experience.
Acknowledging the marked differences between NASCAR racing and his usual Supercars outings, Waters emphasized his readiness to adapt. “We have 12 weekends a year that we’re racing. Over here we’re racing every weekend. It’s a pretty full-on, you know, style of racing that’s totally different,” he explained. Despite his background in dirt oval racing, Waters is eager to tackle the challenge of pavement oval racing in NASCAR.
Aware of the intense and sometimes aggressive nature of NASCAR competition, Waters is approaching his debut with a level head. With minimal practice time available, he understands the importance of managing expectations and focusing on learning.
“I’ve watched about 50 races, so I’ve kind of picked that up myself,” he noted. Drawing on advice from fellow drivers and his team, Waters aims to navigate the race safely, prioritize finishing, and absorb as much knowledge as possible along the way.