McLean fronts FTR for Factory gig
11/12/2000 18:04 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) - Queenslander Cameron McLean has moved into firm favouritism to replace Neil Crompton at Ford-Tickford Racing next season.
Ford-Tickford’s hierarchy, including Principal Glenn Seton, have held promising talks with the former privateer champ over the past week to lure McLean away from his Queensland-based Paragon Motorsport outfit.
It would seem McLean is now favoured over Cameron McConville and Wayne Gardner for the vacant seat.
McLean gave every indication he was more than ready to move into Level 1 ranks next year when speaking to Brisbane’s Sunday Mail over the weekend.
“It’s pretty hard to compete (as a privateer) with the biggest teams,” McLean stated. “You’ve got to look at other options if you’re there to try and win.”
However, all parties insist the ink is far from dry on any 2001 contract.
Paragon Motorsport chief Jamey Blaikie dismissed reports of an inevitable loss.
“Cameron has been offered a drive with FTR, but at this stage is still to even see a contract, let alone sign it,” Blaikie told us this morning.
It is unclear what would become of the largely McLean-centric Greenfield Mowers operation, part-owned by the 32-year-old, should Cameron defect to Melbourne and Ford-Tickford Racing.
While Y2K was a disappointing year for McLean in his canary-yellow Greenfield Falcon, he impressed many with his enduring fourth-place finish with Steven Johnson at Bathurst last month.
An announcement from Ford-Tickford Racing is expected in the next week.
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