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41 Trans Ams Set for Bathurst
A record entry of 41 cars is set to tackle Mount Panorama this weekend as the Trico Trans Am Series continues to grow at the Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour.
For the event, the Trans Am Series will be joined on track by the Australian TA2 Muscle Cars Series, which sees the category expand from its previous high entry, which was 32 cars last time out in Tasmania.
And that full field from the opener will be backing up for round two.
Topping the point score heading to The Mountain is the defending series and Bathurst 1000 winner Todd Hazelwood (TFH Racing Mustang), who took home maximum points from Tasmania, with four wins from pole position.
Second in the standings is the All American Drivelines Mustang of Ben Grice, just ahead of the GRM Mustang of Tom Davies, who enjoyed a breakthrough weekend last time out.
Nash Morris (Norwell Motorplex Mustang) was in the thick of the action in Tasmania, and he sits fourth in the points, just ahead of previous series champions Nathan Herne (BlueGold Industries Mustang) and James Moffat (LMCT+ Mustang).
Supercars ace James Golding returns aboard the CTE Mustang, while Lachlan Evennett will be looking to repay the Garry Rogers Motorsport crew, who have successfully repaired his CAMM Racing Mustang after a heavy crash in the fourth race at Symmons Plains.
Rounding out the top ten in the standings coming into the event are series rookies Jordan Cox (Schaeffler Mustang) and Ben Bargwanna (Hangcha Mustang).
An interesting addition to the field is Kiwi young gun Ayrton Hodson (Eyespy Security Australia Mustang), who recently starred on his Super2 debut at Sydney Motorsport Park.
Other Super2 regulars in the field include Nash Morris (Norwell Motorplex Mustang), Ben Gomersall (UNIT Racing Mustang) and Jarrod Hughes (IES Motorsports Camaro), while Jack Smith (SCT Logistics Mustang) will be a starter, logging extra laps before his return to the Bathurst 1000 in October.
Other Outright category contenders to keep an eye on include Adam Garwood (Garwood Motorsport Mustang), Blake Tracey (Auto Openers Mustang), Jackson Rice (Dream Racing Mustang), Josh Haynes (Herzog Steel Mustang), Charlie Nash (Tickford Autosport Mustang), Chase Hoy (Holinger Racing Mustang), and Elliot Barbour (Pioneer DJ Camaro).
Speedway aces are plentiful in the field, too.
The legendary Robbie Farr (Hi-Tec Oils Camaro) will be looking to continue along his circuit racing learning curve, ditto Domain Ramsey (C&H Trucking Camaro) and Jason Pryde (JPM Camaro).
The field is almost evenly split between Outright contenders and Pro-Am drivers, with 20 entries falling under the latter category.
The TFH Racing crew will be out in force, with the team’s Mustangs set to be piloted by Diesel Thomas, Des Collier, Josh Thomas and Mark Bailey (Jax Tyres Camaro), who will be looking for a repeat of his Symmons Plains Pro Am success.
Another exciting addition to the class is Kiara Zabetakis, who recently stepped up into TA2 competition aboard the KRT Motorsport Camaro.
Piloting the IES Motorsports Camaros will be Paul Hadley and Graham Cheney, while other Camaro Pro-Ams will include Brett Niall (STR Tribridge Holdings) and Craig Scutella (Dream Racing).
Further Mustang entries include Mark Crutcher (Crutcher Developments), Cameron Laws (Castle Railing), Michael Coulter (Turps Tippers), John Holinger (Holinger Racing), Warren Wadley (Wadley Property Group), Joshua Webster (Auto Fix) and New Zealander Aaron Prosser (Security of Supply Group).
All told, 16 vehicles are registered for points in the TA2 Series, while 28 cars are Ford Mustangs, 12 Chevrolet Camaros, with a lone Dodge Challenger joining the field, as driven by Hayden Jackson (Team RSG).
On-track running for the Trico Trans Am Series will feature a lone 30-minute-long practice session on Friday, and twin 15-minute qualifying sessions on Saturday morning, with the field to be split on practice times.
The first 45-minute-long race kicks off at 2:05pm Saturday, with the second race slated for 9:55am Sunday.
Viewers at home can watch qualifying via Facebook and YouTube streams, the Saturday race via SBS One, Fox Sports or Kayo, and the Sunday race via Fox Sports or Kayo.