PremiAir Nulon Racing’s Tim Slade has announced his retirement ahead of the Repco Bathurst 1000.
Slade will complete his 15th season as a full-season Repco Supercars Championship driver following his debut in the 2008 season.
Completing the usual apprenticeship of Formula Ford in addition to dabbles in Formula 3, Slade was able to gain the support of fellow South Australian James Rosenberg, who had aided Supercars privateer Mark Poole during the 1990s.
Making his debut in the Fujitsu V8 Development Series in 2008 running his own program in impressive fashion enabled Slade to make the step up to Paul Morris Motorsport and Supercars in 2009.
It proved a tough season although Slade finished inside the top 10 at both endurance races to bolster his resume ahead of a switch for 2010.
Joining Stone Brothers Racing for the next season provided the launchpad for Slade as he became a regular frontrunner finishing a best of fifth in the championship in 2011.
Just two years later Slade continued when Stone Brothers Racing turned into Erebus Motorsport in its Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, but this proved a difficult campaign.
It failed to get better at Walkinshaw Racing for two seasons before he joined Brad Jones Racing in the vacated Freightliner Racing VF Commodore formerly driven by Fabian Coulthard.
It was a fruitful relationship as he scored his maiden win at Winton in 2016, before scoring his second the next day.
Dropped as a full-time driver for the 2020 season, Slade’s signature was a valuable one for the Bathurst 1000 as he joined Scott McLaughlin at DJR Team Penske for Bathurst, helping to secure the New Zealander’s third title.
Two seasons at Blanchard Racing Team started with promise and Slade performed strongly despite being the sole entry.
Transitioning to PremiAir Nulon Racing for the Gen3 era hasn’t provided the success Slade has wanted, though motivations will be high for good send off in Adelaide.
Other achievements include Slade being a two-time World Time attack Challenge winner, victory at the Laguna Seca round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge and runner up in the Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour.
Slade will be a major player in the endurance driver market for the 2025 season.