Cam Waters believes things are finally clicking for him after claiming his first Supercars win of the year by clinching the first race of the Darwin Triple Crown.
After starting fourth in Friday's 35-lap, 100km sprint race, the Tickford Racing Driver won by 0.448 seconds at Hidden Valley Raceway in unusually cool and overcast conditions.
Victory ends a long victory drought for Waters, who hadn't won since February 2025 and had only enjoyed two podium finishes this season leading into Friday's race.
Young gun Kai Allen finished second, with his Grove Racing teammate Matt Payne securing third to complete a Ford podium sweep.
"It's awesome to finally get a race win. It's been a long time since we've got one, and it's been a pretty trying year for us at Tickford," Waters said.
"We put in a massive effort to try and turn it around, and it's finally clicked, which is great."
Waters expertly navigated the first of the weekend's three races, flying out of the gates and jostling with pole-sitter Brodie Kostecki, before perfectly timing his pit-stop on the 20th lap.
A BIG result for Cam Waters and Tickford Racing in the Top End!!!
— Supercars (@supercars) June 19, 2026
Cam Waters holds off Kai Allen in a one-lap dash thriller in Darwin! #RepcoSC #Supercars pic.twitter.com/ybCdw1tHdE
Crucially, on lap 23 Kostecki left the door open for Waters, and the Tickford Racing driver snuck past him through the inside lane to take the lead.
"I think he (Kostecki) was probably thinking big picture, to be honest, and I was going to fight pretty hard with fresh tyres," Waters said.
"He was probably more keen to try and stay on the podium at that phase of the race."
A late safety car threatened to derail Waters' afternoon, but the 31-year-old held strong to claim the chequered flag.
Kostecki looked on track to finish second, but with three laps remaining he was overtaken by both of the Grove Racing drivers and dropped to fourth.
Supercars championship leader Broc Feeney had a day to forget. He finished 13th in qualifying, then was 14th in the actual race, ending his five-race winning streak in Darwin.
The Triple Eight Race Engineering driver complained that he felt slow on the track, before veering off the course in the first turn of lap 20, which dashed any hopes of a comeback.
SUPERCARS RACE 17 RESULTS:
1. Cam Waters (Tickford Racing)
2. Kai Allen (Grove Racing)
3. Matt Payne (Grove Racing)
4. Brodie Kostecki (Dick Johnson Racing)
5. Will Brown (Triple Eight Race Engineering)
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:
1. Broc Feeney
2. Matt Payne
3. Brodie Kostecki
4. Cam Waters
5. Kai Allen
