The countdown is on for Round 4 of the TFH Hire Muscle Car Series framed by HYTEK Steel Framing at Shell - V Power Motorsport Park at The Bend, August 30 - September 1. 

Some more driver pairings have been announced for the two-driver feature event just a few weeks out from Tailem Bend. 

With a combined age of 131, 2017 TA2 Champion Russell Wright will be joining regular series runner Anthony Tenkate, in the #69 Tenkate Plant Hire Ford Mustang. Both drivers are quick to point out that they are there to have fun while pushing for a good result and collecting championship points. 

Gunnedah’s Greg Keam is back in the #13 DeBeer’s Refinish Ford Mustang for the first time since Round One in April at Sydney Motorsport Park, and will join forces with Matthew MacKelden, who finished 7^th in the 2023 series.

Father and son duo from Canberra ACT, Nicholas Bates and Sam Bates will be pairing up in the #24 Very Clean Ford Mustang. Sam is currently racing in his first year of the Toyota Australia 86 Scholarship Series with the last round at Sandown in one week. 

TA2 rookie Steve Wilson will be teaming up with a former TA2 driver Nick Lange in the #3 Wilson Autosport Chevrolet Camaro. Lange has jumped on board helping out Wilson in his TA2 journey this year and is looking forward to jumping back in the car that he previously raced. 

Western Australia driver Brett Niall will be back in his Chevrolet Camaro, the former WA TA2 Champion teaming up with his long-time enduro co-driver Clint Harvey. 

Championship leader Josh Haynes, in the Herzog Steel Ford Mustang, is one of the few drivers competing this round as a solo driver. Other drivers competing as solo drivers are  Tom Hayman, Hayden Jackson, South Aussie Dean Lindstrom and ex speedway drivers Domain Ramsay and Danny Reidy. 

Josh Haynes has had a strong running this year and currently leads the TA2 Championship 28 points ahead of PHD Motorsports driver Graham Cheney in the #51 Chevrolet Camaro. #4 Crutcher Developments Ford Mustang driver leads the Circo Master Class going into Round 4 closely followed by Paul Hadley and rookie Domain Ramsay in the #71 C&H Trucking Chevrolet Camaro. 

Schedule and Broadcast times will be released closer to the event, however both Sat and Sunday will be televised live by SBS free to air, simulcast on Fox Sports/Kayo.

Round 4 of the TFH Hire Muscle Car Series framed by HYTEK Steel Framing kicks off August 30 - September 1 at The Bend Motorsport Park. 

QUOTES

Russell Wright, #69 Tenkate Plant Hire Ford Mustang 
"I did the Darwin two-driver event last year and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it, it was a real fun weekend. I am pairing up with Anthony Tenkate this year, we aren’t putting any pressure on ourselves we are going out there to have some fun, keep the car in one piece and enjoy it. I am really looking forward to Tailem Bend in a few weeks time” 

Brad Gartner, #22 Hi-Tec Oils Chevrolet Camaro 
“I ran in last year’s two-driver event in Darwin and had so much fun. For me it is just trying to get ourselves back in the championship whether I am doing it as a solo driver or with a co-driver. With Tailem Bend being my home track,I definitely need to maximise every opportunity I get, obviously with Round 1 for me being a disappointing one knocking me a fair way back in the championship. I am really looking forward to it and seeing what we can do as a team.”

As the 2024 TFH Hire Muscle Car Series framed by HYTEK Steel Framing reaches it’s halfway mark, the competition has been nothing short of exciting so far. Drivers are gearing up for what is going to be a thrilling back half of the season.

The TA2 Muscle Car Series features multiple different classes, each with its own fiercely contested championship battle for this year.

After three rounds Josh Haynes leads the championship by 28 points ahead of Graham Cheney in the PHD Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro. Haynes has momentum on his side heading into the second half of the season with a clean sweep at Queensland Raceway in June.

Hi-Tec Oils Chevrolet Camaro driver Brad Gartner had a rough start to the year in a brand new car, after he was involved in an accident at Round One. Round 2 saw Gartner clean sweep the weekend and Morgan Park after picking up his first series Pole Position Award.

Rookies Danny Reidy, Connor Roberts, Domain Ramsay and Steve Wilson are all battling it out for the RaceTech Rookie of the Year award. Connor Roberts currently leads the championship going into the back half of the year on 502 points closely followed by Danny Reidy in the Chevrolet Camaro on 440 points.

After a difficult start to his 2024 season after he was involved in a crash at Round 1 in Sydney, Mark Crutcher in the #4 Crutcher Developments Ford Mustang currently leads the Circo Master Class Championship 29 points in front of PHD Motorsports driver Paul Hadley, who’s sitting back on 506 points.

Round 4 of the TFH Hire Muscle Car Series returns to The Bend Motorsport Park August 31 - September 1 for the first time since 2019. You can catch all of the action live on SBS Fox Sports and Kayo Sports.

QUOTES

Josh Haynes, #37 Herzog Steel Ford Mustang

“The first half of the season has been really good for me and the team. Obviously we had a great round at Sydney Motorsport Park where I took home the first pole position award, and battled up against Todd Hazelwood all weekend which was pretty cool. We had a tough round 2 at Morgan Park with a few mechanical issues, but managed to bag a heap of points and come out of there tied first in the championship with Graham Cheney. The moment we rolled the car out of the truck on Friday practice all the way up until the last race at Queensland Raceway the car was a rocket ship, and we clean swept the weekend. 

It’s great to have a nice lead in the championship going into Round 4 at the end of August. It is important that I finish every race and stay consistent as there is still a long way to go and anything can happen.”

Graham Cheney, #51 PHD Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro

"Going into the back half of the year I am heading in with the same mindset, concentrating on finishing all races and not making any silly mistakes, as DNF's can really hurt your championship. With Brad Gartner closing close behind me on points, I am really going to have to step it up as well as maintaining consistency if we want to win a championship. 

I am really looking forward to Round 4 at The Bend Motorsport Park at the end of August, pairing up with Zach Bates. Zach is a very experienced driver and I am hoping he can bring some of that as well has his knowledge over to our team."

The TA2 Muscle Car Series will revisit The Bend Motorsport Park for the first time since 2019 as a two-driver event for Round 4 of the TFH Hire Muscle Car Series framed by HYTEK Steel Framing.

Teams from all across Australia will make the trip down south to The Bend Motorsport Park for three intense days of racing as part of the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series event. 

The format for the weekend is set to feature a separate qualifying session for each driver with three races across each race day on Saturday and Sunday. These six races will compromise a single sprint race for each driver and a longer enduro race, which will feature a driver change with a minimum timed pit stop, with both drivers earning championship points across the weekend. 

The first driver pairing locked in sees Walkinshaw Andretti United Super 2 star Zach Bates team up with Graham Cheney in the #51 PHD Motorsport Chevrolet Camaro.

Fellow Super2 regular Jarrod Hughes will team up with Cheney’s son Tyler Cheney in a third PHD Motorsport entry, with Paul Hadley to be joined by former TA2 regular Hugh McAlister.

TCR star Jordan Cox will make his TA2 return, co-driving with Mark Crutcher in the #4 Crutcher Developments Ford Mustang. Cox paired up with Crutcher in last year’s Kings of the North in Darwin, where Cox came away with first in the co-driver race, and also clean swept the penultimate round at Sydney Motorsport Park in Crutcher’s Mustang.

Supercars co-driver Todd Hazelwood will return to the TA2 Muscle Car Series joining forces with Joshua Thomas in the #169 TFH Hire Ford Mustang.

Entries and pairings of more drivers will be announced in the coming weeks closer to the event. 

Round 4 of the TFH Hire Muscle Car Series framed by HYTEK Steel Framing takes place on August 30 - September 1 at The Bend Motorsport Park. Saturday and Sunday’s races will be live and free to air on SBS, Fox Sports and Kayo Sports. 

QUOTES

Jordan Cox #4 Crutcher Developments Ford Mustang

“Crutcher rung me up and asked me if I wanted to do the two-driver event with him again at The Bend Motorsport Park, I said yes and hung up the phone. It was short and sweet didn’t it certainly didn't take me long to say yes. 

We had a lot of fun together up in Darwin for the two-driver event last year, it is always super cool when you can get the chance to co-drive, it makes it a real team event. I has some great racing and great results with Crutcher last year and I am looking forward to doing it again in a few weeks time.” 

Australian Speedway legend Robbie Farr will join the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series in a TA2 Muscle Car Series field from the penultimate round of this season, before embarking on a full-season campaign in 2025.

Farr will debut the #7 Hi-Tec Oils Chevrolet Camaro at Winton Motor Raceway from October 4-6.

The Speedway ace is looking forward to the challenge of circuit racing, having never raced a car on bitumen.

“Now there lies the problem,” he laughed. “I did do some bitumen go karts when I was a kid, but not since I was 15, but that's the exciting part, that’s the challenge, trying something new.

“I’ve obviously done so many divisions in Speedway over the years, I've done everything, but this is just a completely new challenge left field and it's exciting.

“When I first started watching TA2, I saw drivers getting sideways and working the wheel, the cars have got good horsepower and are very tough looking car.

“I think that's the attraction. If I was going to do anything in road racing, this class seems to suit speedway more than any other.”

Farr has committed to the final two rounds of the year, but for him these are just events to get up to speed, allowing him to hit the ground running in 2025.

“We'll definitely do the two rounds this year, which I think will be really good just to get two rounds under our belt.

“We’ll get a couple of test days in, and then compete in the full season next year.”

Farr will be teammate to series front-runner Brad Gartner in the #22 Hi -Tec Oils Chevrolet Camaro. Farr hopes to learn lots of the title challenger.

“We've got targets, whether we can achieve it, we’ll have to see, but I’m taking it very seriously,” Farr explained.

“With Brad Gartner as a teammate under the Hi-Tec Oils banner as well, I’m sure we can rely on him to help me get up to speed as quick as possible.”

Farr will test the car to get used to the characteristics of the high-horse-powered muscle car.

“Probably more testing on the driver than the car,” he chuckled. “I don't want to go in there cold, I don't think that does anyone any benefit, the other competitors or myself.

“We'll definitely do some laps to get to work out how to change gears and clutch and all that stuff, even braking it in a straight line and not having a wing on top, there's so much difference, so we need we need that time just to just to get comfortable.”

Farr is proud that not only Hi-Tec Oils, but many of his other sponsors have followed him on this new adventure.

“I've had a long association with Hi-Tec Oils during my motorsport career and after some discussion, we decided to reunite, and so, I'm going to be driving the Hi-Tec Oils #7 Chevy Camaro.

“Apart from the actual learning and the racing, I’m excited Hi-Tec Oils have come along on this journey, as well as my previous long-term sponsors.

Hi-Tec Oils Super Series manager Stephen Whyte is delighted to have such a well-known name join the category.

“To have Robbie Farr join the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series in a TA2 Muscle Car is great for the series, Robbie is a great guy and a great driver,” he said. “Robbie has won everything there is to win in Speedway competition around the country.

“This will be a very different challenge for Robbie and we look forward to seeing him tackle circuit racing not only this year, but beyond. It is awesome that Farr has committed to the series long-term into 2025, I’m sure he’ll bring new fans to the series.”

The next round takes place at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia from August 30-September 1, this can be viewed on SBS, Kayo and Foxtel.

Herzog Steel Mustang driver Josh Haynes has clean swept a thrilling Round 3 of the TFH Hire TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek Steel Framing at Queensland Raceway.

PHD Motorsport’s Graham Cheney got the best start of the top three in Race 3, taking Gartner for second on the side of Turn 1 before out-braking Haynes into Turn 3.

Drama struck at Turn 4 when TFH Racing’s Des Collier turned Jason Pryde at Turn 4, before Hayden Jackson turned John Holinger when he checked up to avoid Pryde. Danny Reidy also suffered big damage when he had nowhere to go in avoidance and barrelled into Jackson.

Cheney lead the field on the restart before Haynes passed him into Turn 3, as Hughes and Gartner got passed on the inside of Turns 4 and 5.

Mark Crutcher lost the rear and spun on his own at Turn 6 onto the main straight.

Tom Hayman charged from the rear of grid to fifth, losing a drag race to the chequered flag for fourth from Cheney.

Gartner got by Hughes for second and hunted down the race leader, setting the fastest lap of the race along the way with a 1:13.4.

Gartner pressured Haynes for the final lap, diving around the outside of Haynes at Turn 4. The pair ran side-by-side through Turns 4 and 5 before Gartner ran out of road and dropped a wheel on the dirt on the outside of Turn 5, just hanging onto second from Hughes.

Haynes lead the field away for Race 4. Gartner challenged Haynes before a safety car on Lap 9 when Collier spun at Turn 3 and became stuck in the sand trap.

Russell Wright moved ahead of Graham Cheney to bring home a strong fourth place, taking out the Circo Masters Class for Round 3.

After a Hyperco Hard Charger Award effort in Race 3, Tom Hayman moved forwards into the top three before a steering rack failure took him out of contention.

Haynes clean swept the weekend with a win in Race 4 from Gartner and Hughes, extending the series lead to 28 points ahead of Cheney.

Round 4 of the TFH Hire TA2 Muscle Car Series Framed by Hytek Steel Framing heads to The Bend Motorsport Park on August 30-September 1.

QUOTES

Josh Haynes, #37 Herzog Steel Ford Mustang

“Honestly, words can't describe how I’m feeling right now. The team's put in so much work, the whole team at Waltec Motorsport. My friends, my family, we’ve put in so much work for this, so it means a lot.

“Shout out to Brad Gartner. We had a very hard race last race. He kept me on my toes all weekend and well done to him.

“Another great round, heaps more points. The Herzog Steel Mustang is an absolute weapon and looking forward to The Bend in two months time.”

Brad Gartner, #22 Hi-Tec Oils Chevrolet Camaro

"I think we had the car to win. Even yesterday, just probably didn't get the race start, it’s probably number one thing.

“I heard Jarrod say the same thing. That race there, best chance to go for the lead was before the safety car and we unfortunately didn't maximise.

“At the end of the day, you've got three 20 year olds driving these cars very fast and it's very good racing, and so much respect for Josh, it’s just awesome racing.

"I can't thank everyone enough. Hi-Tec Oils for giving me this awesome car and everyone involved.

“Next round at The Bend is my home round, so it’ll be max attack. Josh was right there at Morgan Park, but it doesn't always work out for everyone but no, I feel like we maximised what we have and Josh maximised what he had and we're rolling to the next round and that's halfway in the season, I'm keen to get after it.”

Jarrod Hughes, #118 American Muscle Trucks Chevrolet Camaro

“I'm actually a bit happier that we finally got the car to go around the corner not too bad. Before that safety car we were really chasing down the guys in front.

“I can't thank the team at PHD Motorsport enough for giving me the chance to have a drive of this beast this weekend. Obviously we had a few dramas, but it ended up not too bad.”