Posted in TA2

Denyer to manage new Muscle Car Series

Posted on 25 April 2018

TA2 Racing Australia has welcomed the appointment of experienced motorsport promoter and media commentator Craig Denyer as manager for the Performax TA2 Muscle Car Series commencing immediately.Denyer takes over from current series competitor Craig Harris, who has elected to focus on his racing commitments within the series.The move sees a return to motor sport management for Denyer, who conceived and ran the Australian V8 Utes Series for over 15 years, was involved in the Australian GT Series, (and formerly Nations Cup with PROCAR), the Mini Challenge Series, and along with business partner Bill West was instrumental in the re-birth of the Bathurst 12 Hour race, working with event promoter James O’Brien. Denyer was also heavily involved in his son Grant’s racing activities.

The category has experienced strong growth of late, with 17 cars sold and 14 appearing for the season opener at Winton, and management are confident of a 20 car grid by the end of the year.

Denyer says the category has all the hallmarks to be successful in Australia.

“I think this category is one of the best kept secrets in Australian Motorsport, current bodied Mustang, Camaro and Dodge Challengers that cost less to run over a race weekend than a saloon car,” said Denyer.

“With over 500hp, they are the real deal to drive and offer a great bang for buck experience. They look, go and sound like a real V8 race car should and the fans will love them.

“I think the series will create its own niche, not just in fan appeal, but as an alternative for young drivers to experience a real race car at very low running costs, the engines last up to 4 seasons before requiring a rebuild!”

This is the first year that the series has gone national, with seven rounds taking in Winton, Sydney Motorsport Park, Queensland Raceway and Wakefield Park.

“Series owner Peter Robinson and regular TA2 driver Craig Harris have done a great job with the specs of the cars and to get the series up and running.”

“Big walled NASCAR-style tyres and no aero makes for great racing, plus managing brakes and tyres over varying race distances will play out in strategy. Teams can only have 2 new tyres for each race meeting, so there will be more going into managing this bank than Westpac!”

Gold Coaster Ashley Jarvis dominated the opening round with a clean-sweep at Winton Motor Raceway in his Chevrolet Camaro, however New South Welshman Hugh McAlister fought back in his Ford Mustang at Queensland Raceway last weekend to now lead the series by just one point over Queenslander Russell Wright.

The TA2 muscle cars are available as a turn-key race car, ready to roll out on the grid and available for sale in Australia through PBR Distributions at Hillcrest, Queensland.

TA2 Racing Australia also thanks John English for his initial work in having the category accepted on the programme at QR and Lakeside with John Tetley during the birth of TA2 in Australia.

Posted in:Performax TA2 2018 Australia Craig Denyer Series

TA2 Muscle Cars Return to Queensland

Posted on 16 April 2018

The 2018 Performax Australian TA2 Muscle Car Series heads north to Queensland Raceway for the first of three visits to the Ipswich circuit this year, with a 15-car field lining up for round two of the series at the Ipswich Festival of Cars on April 20-22.

After scoring a clean-sweep of all four races at the series opener at Winton, Ashley Jarvis returns to his home track in a new car, taking the seat of the #10 Dodge Challenger usually campaigned by Peter Robinson who misses this round due to overseas commitments.

Filling the seat of Ashley’s #22 Camaro will be his father Paul Jarvis, who has previously raced in local Saloon Car competition in his family-run team.

Hoping to build on his series lead from round one, Jarvis praised the mechanical parity of all cars in the series and plans to be on the pace in the Dodge reasonably quickly.

“There is no difference between the Camaro, Mustang or Challenger on track, so it’s just a matter of setting up the gearing and suspension to suit the driver,” said Jarvis.

“We couldn’t have had a better start to the championship at Winton, so I hope to continue that run of form heading to my home track.

“It’s great to be joined by my Dad on track this weekend. My family has been a huge support for my own racing and it’s always a special moment to share the track with them.”

The series also welcomes a new face to the grid in Queenslander George Kulig in a Chevrolet Camaro. The former Sports Sedan racer will debut the car at Queensland Raceway before his son Michael takes the reigns in a part-time program this season, in preparation for a full-time assault at the championship in 2019.

“The first race in the TA2 series is exciting for us as a team, but personally it will be a learning curve and I will use this time to collect some basic data and to stay out of trouble,” said Kulig.

“The rest of this year will be used to get Michael settled and used to a totally different tyre and brake package from his previous race car.

“We can see TA2 growing to a semi-professional level allowing drivers and teams to experience tracks around Australia, and the TA2 family are a great bunch of people to be around.”

Category management has reported strong growth since the launch of the national series, with a further three cars sold following the opening round at Winton.

The Performax Australian TA2 Muscle Cars are set for four races over Saturday and Sunday at Queensland Raceway, in support of the Willowbank 300 endurance race.

ENTRY LIST

2018 Performax TA2 Muscle Car Series - Round 2, Queensland Raceway (QLD)

#2 - Don Dimitriadis (NSW), Ford Mustang #4 - Mark Crutcher (NSW), Chevrolet Camaro #5 - Ian McAlister (NSW), Ford Mustang #6 - Hugh McAlister (NSW), Ford Mustang #7 - George Kulig (QLD), Chevrolet Camaro #10 - Ashley Jarvis (QLD), Dodge Challenger #14 - Cameron Sendall (QLD), Chevrolet Camaro #20 - Darren Berry (QLD), Chevrolet Camaro #22 - Paul Jarvis (QLD), Chevrolet Camaro #44 - Greg Willis (QLD), Chevrolet Camaro #55 - Russell Wright (QLD), Ford Mustang #69 - Anthony Tenkate (QLD), Ford Mustang #88 - Craig Harris (QLD), Ford Mustang #92 - Scott Textor (QLD), Dodge Challenger #222 - Chad Cotton (ACT), Ford Mustang

Posted in:Performax Queensland Raceway TA2 2018 Queensland Ashley Jarvis

Horsepower Heaven as Muscle Racers and Tough Trucks Meet at Performax North Lakes

Posted on 13 April 2018

IT’S Horsepower Heaven when muscle-car competitors in the Performax Cup TA2 Muscle Cars line up beside the toughest sports trucks in Australia at North Lakes. Three of the spectacular 525 horsepower racers will visit the North Lakes headquarters of American vehicle importer Performax International to celebrate the company’s new naming sponsorship of the series and their next event at Queensland Raceway on 21-22 April. The display will be staged at Performax International at 1 Burke Street, North Lakes, from 2pm to 5pm on Friday 13 April and will be free to the public. Starring on the Performax forecourt will be a late-model TA2 -

Chevrolet Camaro - car 22#, driver Ashley Jarvis
Ford Mustang - car 69#, driver Anthony Tenkate
Dodge Challenger - car 10#, driver Peter Robinson (Cameron Sendall in attendance)

Alongside will be a line-up representing the latest and greatest in the Performax International range of American-built pick-ups, including the awesome Ford F-250 Black Ops and high-performance F-150 Raptor. And Performax’s 290kmh Chev Corvette C7 sports car might make a special appearance! “There’ll be several thousand horsepower on the ground when these American car and truck legends get together at Performax International,” said Performax Managing Director Greg Waters. “For anyone interested in muscle cars and pick-ups, this will be a turnout not to be missed. The bonnets will be up and everyone will be able to see what these fabulous vehicles are like under the skin.” The Performax TA2 Cup will be contested over six rounds this season. Round 2 will be at the Ipswich Festival of Cars meeting at Queensland Raceway on 21-22 April.

Posted in:Performax Queensland Raceway TA2 2018