The PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series will go racing under lights for the first time next Saturday, with a strong turnout expected for their opening round at Sydney Motorsport Park on March 5/7.

Race 2 of the season opener will see drivers take on a 30-minute single-driver mini-enduro race after dark on Saturday, with the Gardner Grand Prix layout of the Western Sydney circuit now fully lit to accomodate night racing.

A grid of 20 cars is anticipated for the first round of the 2021 championship, including the return of popular inaugural series champion Russell Wright.

The veteran Queensland racer won the inaugural national TA2 series in 2017, earning himself a drive in the penultimate round of the 2018 American Trans-Am Series at the Circuit of the Americas, where he ran up to the top five before being taken out late in the race at the Texan Formula 1 circuit.

2020 Round 1 winner John McLaughlin is expected to miss the season launch after welcoming the arrival of his first child.

The TA2 Muscle Car Series will welcome a host of new competitors to the grid including New South Wales Sports Sedan racer John Ford, with entries officially closing this Wednesday.

A draft format for the first of six rounds for the year will see the first sprint race taking place on Saturday afternoon, followed by Race 2 under lights, and the final two sprint races on Sunday.

All four races of the TA2 Muscle Car Series’ opening event for the year will be covered in a post-produced show on free to air network SBS via their longstanding motorsport programme Speedweek.

QUOTES

Matt Baragwanath - AMRS Series Manager

“On the back of a very challenging 2020 we are very excited about our upcoming season opener at SMP,” said Baragwanath.

“We continue to work with TA2 Management to ensure we are providing a valued-based, high-excitement series through the AMRS platform and to that end we are very excited about providing TA2 competitors a 30min ‘mini enduro’ on the Saturday night under lights.

“It’s the first time this has been offered since the beginning of TA2 in Australia, so we are very pleased to be able to offer such a spectacle for both competitors and fans.”

• Championship begins under lights at Sydney Motorsport Park on March 5/7
• Six round series in 2021 covering four states, supporting the Australian Motor Racing Series
• Season finale to be at The Bend Motorsport Park in December
• Invitational event at Bathurst International
• Regional Northern & Southern series under discussion

The 2021 PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series will kick off under lights at Sydney Motorsport Park in February, with organisers announcing a six-round, seven-event provisional calendar for next year.

The series will take in six championship rounds supporting the Australian Motor Racing Series (AMRS), visiting four states including a grand finale set for the state-of-the-art FIA Grade 2 circuit at The Bend Motorsport Park in December.

From Sydney Motorsport Park in March, Queensland’s Morgan Park Raceway hosts Round 2 in April before heading south to Winton Motor Raceway in regional Victoria in mid-June.

The series heads back north to Queensland Raceway in August before Wakefield Park plays host to the penultimate event in October ahead of the final points round in South Australia.

Australia’s famous Mount Panorama circuit will host a grand TA2 showcase towards the end of the year, with a full grid of cars anticipated for the Bathurst International.

The series’ long-term vision to have separate state or regional series for TA2 competitors may well progress for 2021, with discussions ongoing between competitors and track promoters to establish a Northern and Southern Series within the variety of events available in the national calendars.

The regional series’ will cater to competitors with varying budgets, travelling options, and work commitments, while still maximising track time and providing the ability to enter events around the country.

While no series champion was awarded in 2020, 21-year old Aaron Seton won the 2019 TA2 Muscle Car Series and earned himself the opportunity to compete in a round of the American Trans-Am Series.

2021 PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series Calendar

Round 1: Sydney Motorsport Park (NSW), March 5/7

Round 2: Morgan Park Raceway (QLD), April 16/18

Round 3: Winton Raceway (VIC), June 11/13

Round 4: Queensland Raceway (QLD), August 6/8

Round 5: Wakefield Park (NSW), October 22/24

Round 6: The Bend Motorsport Park (SA), December 3/5

INV: Bathurst International - Mount Panorama (NSW), TBA

QUOTES Craig Denyer, TA2 Muscle Car Series Manager

“While 2020 was a challenging year for all in motorsport, the TA2 Muscle Car Series continued from strength to strength with four state-based events for TA2 Muscle Cars to compete in as well as support events at Bathurst, Townsville and The Bend Motorsport Park.

“We hope to return to some form of normality in 2021, and our proposed calendar for 2021 offers a blend of outstanding circuits and bang-for-buck events.

“We are seriously investigating the opportunity to add a northern and southern regional series next year, the competitors have spoken out and they are looking to minimise long-distance travel and expenditure next year.

“The proposed events are all well-spaced across the year and interest in the series continues to remain strong with over 55 cars now sold in Australia and more enquiries on a daily basis.”

Victorian Graham Smith has scored his maiden PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series round victory after he edged out Sunday’s dual race winner Tim Shaw by two points.

Shaw got one back on Smith to win Race 3 on Sunday morning after a race-long scrap with Smith.

The Tasmanian lead the opening lap before Smith got back in front, passing Shaw on the inside at Turn 1.

Smith lead the majority of the race before a safety car was called to recover Jason Hassett's Camaro which spun at the penultimate corner, with the team replacing the clutch before the last race.

With a last-lap dash to the flag, Smith spun the wheels on the restart as Shaw dragged alongside to Turn 1. The pair ran side-by-side through Turn 1 as Shaw got the job done into the Turn 2/3 chicane to take the win from Smith, Warren Trewin and Steve Coulter.

With the majority of the field opting for wet tyres for the race, Queenslanders Peter Robinson and Cameron Sendall gambled on dry tyres, but that didn't pay off as the pair both dropped to the back of the pack.

Race 4 saw another cracking race between Shaw’s Camaro and Smith’s Mustang, as the pair battled for the lead throughout the entire 15 lap finale.

Smith lead after the first lap before Shaw regained the lead on the back straight. Smith slowed towards the end to secure the round win as Shaw won by 2.3 seconds.

Shaw took the flag to win both of Sunday's races, but fell only two points shy of Smith who scored the outright win of the Victorian State of Origin round.

Peter Robinson earned the Hyperco Hard Charger Award for fighting back from seventh to third, while Cam Sendall came through from eighth to fourth ahead of Trewin in fifth.

Kobelco Motorsport’s Steve Coulter finished sixth in the last race and earned the Coolshirt Systems Move of the Moment Award for filling in for son Michael at late notice, while Jason Hassett came away with the Bowden’s Own Best Presented Award for the Hass Pumps Camaro.

That concludes the 2020 season of the PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series, with a 2021 calendar expected to be announced shortly.

QUOTES

Graham Smith, #27 Hazard Solutions Ford Mustang

“It’s been brilliant, even in the different conditions we faced today, it was just great to survive through those,” said Graham Smith.

“I was really happy to keep up with Tim Shaw as he was putting down some strong laps in practice and won the pole award with a 1:14.7, so I was just glad to keep up with him in the races and win a couple along the way as well.

“I could have tried a dive bomb or something in the last race but it wasn’t worth it, I knew if I finished second I’d get the round win so I just tried to keep my head up and come home with a clean car.

“I went up to Norwell Motorplex last year and they taught me a lot. I also had Jason Bargwanna mentor me back in the 86 series, he even came up to me before the wet race this morning and gave me some tips, I’m really grateful for those experiences that have helped me.

"Hopefully we can have a clear year ahead in 2021 so we can get some decent racing in, it would be good to go interstate and try our luck at some different tracks.

“I appreciate the support from my family and my pit crew, but also from PBR, Howe Racing Enterprises, PROMAXX Performance Exhausts and everyone, we couldn’t go racing without their support and it was great to get back on track this weekend.”

Victorian Graham Smith has come away with his maiden PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series race win as he went on to claim the opening two race wins at Sandown Raceway for the Victorian State of Origin round.

Qualifying saw Tasmanian Tim Shaw scored his maiden PWR Pole Award in the first competitive session for TA2 cars at Sandown.

Shaw set a 1:14.7007 on the final lap of the session to secure pole position in the Race Tasmania Camaro, and the first pole position for the Chevrolet brand since Ashley Jarvis at Round 2 in 2018 at Queensland Raceway.

Starting from pole, Tim Shaw lead from lights-to-flag in Race 1 after a race-long battle with Graham Smith, however a jump start on the rolling start saw a five-second post-race time penalty handed to Sha, as Smith inherited his maiden TA2 race win in the Hazard Solutions Mustang.

Peter Robinson held third ahead of Warren Trewin and Cameron Sendall, while Steve Coulter spun the Kobelco Mustang at Turn 1 on Lap 2 and finished back in seventh.

Drama into Turn 1 in Race 2 saw Robinson and Shaw make contact at Turn 1 that sent both cars spinning and the chasing pack scrambling to get around.

Smith took the lead and was never headed for the ten lap encounter, while Shaw and Robinson recovered to third and fifth respectively.

Sendall was on for a strong finish before he gave away second place on the final lap with a spin coming onto the main straight as High Voltage Coffee Racing’s Warren Trewin skipped through to score his personal best TA2 race result in second ahead of Shaw, Sendall, Robinson, Coulter and Hassett.

The PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series returns for a 12-lap race and a 15-lap finale on Sunday.

The 2020 PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series concludes with their first visit to Sandown Raceway this weekend, with TA2 entrants from Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales and Queensland gridding up for the Victorian State of Origin event at the Australian Motor Racing Series.

The TA2 Muscle Car Series finale at Sandown, which first held races in 1962, also marks a landmark meeting for the suburban Melbourne circuit, with the first race meeting there to be sanctioned by the Australian Auto Sport Alliance (AASA) since it was formed in 2003.

As part of the series’ ‘State of Origin’ strategy to encourage participation at local state-based race meetings in the absence of a full national title, the victor of the Sandown event will be crowned the ‘Victorian’ TA2 State of Origin winner, following the New South Wales event at Sydney Motorsport Park in September and the Queensland event at Queensland Raceway in October.

Kubota Racing Mustang driver Hugh McAlister and Gulf Western Oils Dodge young-gun Nathan Herne were the respective state winners on those occasions.

Three Victorians will have their home race at Sandown include Warren Trewin, Graham Smith and Jason Hassett.

Following their respective debuts at Winton in March, Smith and Hassett will make their second TA2 appearance this weekend with Hassett lining up in the ex Ashley Jarvis 2018 championship-winning Chevrolet Camaro.

Former Commodore Cup and Future Touring champion Tim Shaw also joins the field from Tasmania.

New South Welshman Steve Coulter in the Kobelco Mustang and Queenslanders Peter Robinson and Cameron Sendall will complete the TA2 grid, with three Oz-Trucks and a NASCAR filling the joint field.

The PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series will hit the track for four practice sessions on Friday, followed by Qualifying and two ten-lap races on Saturday, a 12 lap and a 15 lap final race on Sunday.

Spectators are welcome to attend Sandown on Sunday, with access permitted to the Red Hill carpark viewing area only and with pit/paddock access restricted to teams and crew. Tickets must be pre-purchased online at https://amrseries.com.au/tickets/.

QUOTES

Craig Denyer, TA2 Muscle Car Series Manager

“It’s great to be able to wrap up the year in Victoria given what the State has been through over the past nine months,” said Denyer.

“Our Victorian based teams have struggled to get any track time this year due to the lockdowns so it’s an early Christmas present for those that are keen to have a run.

“Sandown has an amazing history in Australian motor sport and this will be the first time the TA2 Muscle Cars have raced at the circuit.

“They will look and sound pretty special at Sandown so it’s a cool place to wrap up what has been a difficult year.”

ENTRY LIST#01 Cameron Sendall (QLD), Ford Mustang, TA2 Muscle Car Series #10 Peter Robinson (QLD), Dodge Challenger, PBR Distributions #11 Steve Coulter (NSW), Ford Mustang, Kobelco/Sydney Truck & Machinery #26 Jason Hassett (VIC), Chevrolet Camaro, Hass Pumps #27 Graham Smith (VIC), Chevrolet Camaro, Hazard Solutions #66 Tim Shaw (TAS), Chevrolet Camaro, Shaw Property Development #71 Warren Trewin (VIC), Chevrolet Camaro, High Voltage Coffee Racing

SCHEDULE (Local time AEDT)FRIDAY Practice 1 - 10:40am (15 minutes) Practice 2 - 12:30pm (15 minutes) Practice 3 - 2:45pm (15 minutes) Practice 4 - 4:55pm (15 minutes)

SATURDAY Qualifying - 10:50am (15 minutes) Race 1 - 2:00pm (10 laps) Race 2 - 3:45pm (10 laps)

SUNDAY Race 3 - 11:00am (12 laps) Race 4 - 2:40pm (15 laps)