Paine makes it a Winton Three Peat while Hughes is crowned TA2 Champion
 "Paine makes it a Winton Three Peat while Hughes is crowned TA2 Champion")
GM Performance driver Jarrod Hughes was crowned the 2025 TA2 Muscle Car Series Champion over the weekend, despite not competing at the final round. The Gold Coaster was in New Zealand adding 3rd overall in the GT4 Championship at Hampton Downs to his already impressive resume,
At Winton Raceway, Gold Coaster Brock Paine made it two from two with another RAS Pole Award for the final round of the TFH TA2 Muscle Car Series - presented by Maritimo Luxury Yachts then went on to win both races adding to his Saturday victory.
Paine’s time in the Jacobs Well Montauk Tavern Camaro of 1.24.7 was just 8/100ths quicker than Josh Webster’s La Machinna Mustang with Ben Gomersall and Blake Tracey on the second row, less than 4/10ths further back. IES Racing’s Graham Cheney had a better session slotting into P6 alongside leading rookie for the season Diesel Thomas.
Under fine and sunny conditions, the first of Sunday’s two TA2 races saw Brock Paine again lead the way with a great jump out of the blocks to lead Josh Webster, Ben Gomersall and Blake Tracey. Circo Master class rivals and HCC business partners Graham Cheney and Mark Crutcher came together out of Turn 4, both spearing in field, ultimately heading to pit lane, the stewards room, then to the HCC boardroom for a further de-brief!
Adelaide’s Lee Stibbs in the Hi-Tec Oils Camaro made a great start, from P11 to settle in P8 for the race, while Danny Reidy held a superb speedway slide through Turn 10 letting Collier and Ebert through.
Diesel and Josh Thomas ran close all race, with the younger brother closing on Josh’s third place in the Championship while brother-in-law Des Collier pitted with a suspected plug lead issue in the TFH Mustang.
Glen Ebert’s AlienTech Camaro pitted late in the race and while Webster set the fastest lap, Paine went on to win by just 6/10ths of a second from Webster with Gomersall’s Unit Racing Mustang just over a second further back in 3rd.
In the final race, Gomersall had secured second in the Championship, however 3rd would go down to a fight between the Thomas siblings, Josh and Diesel in the TFH Mustangs, engineered by Todd Hazelwood.
Paine again led the way from Josh Webster, Gomersall and Blake Tracey before Webster slipped off the road letting both Josh and Diesel Thomas through and was then involved in a final turn incident with Graham Cheney, turning the #51 IES Camaro around coming on to the straight.
Diesel Thomas was another to head inland, copping a 5 second re-entry penalty effectively handing 3rd overall in the Championship to brother Josh.
Danny Reidy achieved his weekend target of finishing inside the Top 10 after a solid weekend ahead of TA2 debutantes Hayden Pullan and Glen Ebert, but it was Brock Paines weekend to claim the round and rookie honours, with Ben Gomersall finishing second overall for the round and the series in the Unit Mustang, with Hayden Hume an impressive 3rd for the round in the Total Parts Pro Mustang.
Graham Cheney won the Circo Master Class for the series from Paul Morris and Mark Crutcher, while Diesel Thomas wrapped up the Rookie of the Year award, plus shared the weekend’s Hyperco Hard Charger award with Hayden Pullen and Warren Wadley for the most cars passed in any one race.
Josh Webster claimed the Wilwood Big Braker Award showing great speed and Glen (Eric) Ebert the AC Delco Power of Love Award and almost $5000 in power tools.
As champion elect, Jarrod Hughes will be awarded the $10,000 Wallace Bishop Championship ring at the TA2/Trans AM Gala awards night on December 6 for dominating the 2025 TA2 Muscle Car Series and will join the likes of Ashley Jarvis, Russell Wright, Aaron Seton, Jett Johnson, Dylan Thomas and Josh Haynes in the TA2 Muscle Cars Hall of Fame.
HCC Distributions. Promoters of the TA2 Muscle Car Series announced at the weekend next year’s championship will continue with season four of the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series, sanctioned by the AASA and again televised live on SBS. SBS On Demand, Fox Sports and Kayo. Marcos Ambrose has been appointed as Commercial and Sporting Director for the 2026 Hi-Tec series with extensive plans in place to take the series to a new level in the coming years.
