Matt Stone Racing's Townsville wildcard has taken an unexpected turn a fortnight out from the event, with Aaron Seton called up for an early solo Supercars debut after Cameron Crick was ruled out on health grounds.
Crick, who had been slated to run the Queensland-based outfit's wildcard entry, will instead step back to manage an ongoing health issue and protect his preparation for the Ryco Enduro Cup later in the year, where he is paired with Jack Le Brocq. He framed the call as the responsible one. "Naturally, it's disappointing to step away from the wildcard program, but after discussing with Matt and the team, we agreed that focusing on my health and making sure I'm back in full swing for the enduros is the right decision," Crick said.
Into the seat steps Seton, the 27-year-old son of two-time Australian Touring Car champion Glenn Seton and a long-time Matt Stone Racing campaigner. The opportunity arrives earlier than planned — Seton had been pencilled in for a wildcard outing at the Ipswich Super 440 in August — and brings forward his first solo start in the main game at the NTI Townsville 500 on 10-12 July. He has already logged testing laps at Queensland Raceway in preparation.
Seton's first reaction was for the man he is replacing. "Obviously the circumstances aren't ideal and my first thoughts are with Cam," he said. "He's a great mate and a huge part of this team, so I wish him all the best and look forward to seeing him back later in the year." On the racing itself, he was characteristically measured. "Any chance to gain additional Supercars race experience is valuable, and being able to get an extra event under our belt before Ipswich and the enduros is something I'm very grateful for."
Team owner Matt Stone made clear the decision was driven by Crick's welfare rather than results. "First and foremost, our priority is making sure Cameron has the time and support he needs to focus on his health," Stone said. "At the same time, we're excited to give Aaron the opportunity to step into the wildcard program earlier than planned."
The reshuffle hands Seton two wildcard rounds rather than one to build mileage before the enduros, where he lines up alongside co-driver Zach Bates. For a driver who has spent years on the fringes of a full-time Supercars seat, an unscheduled Townsville debut is exactly the kind of break that can be hard to come by — even if neither he nor the team would have wanted it to arrive this way.
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*Originally published on [Motorsports Global](https://motorsports.global/article/seton-lands-early-supercars-debut-as-crick-withdraws-ill). Visit for full coverage.*