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ABOUT THE TA2 MUSCLE CAR SERIES
The TA2 Muscle Car Series
Series History
TA2 Muscle Car Series is the current evolution of America’s legendary Trans-Am Series which started in the 1960s. The TA2 race car is todays version of modern V8 powered, rear wheel drive, high horsepower, big sounding muscle cars that drivers and fans love, in tribute to the golden touring car era of the 60’s and 70’s when there was no aero, no parity arguments, no budget blowouts, just no nonsense racing.
The TA2 car is made up of a purpose-built space-frame Howe Racing Enterprises chassis and a controlled McLaren Engineering Racing Engine developing 525 horsepower, this ensures a level playing field across the board for great racing.
The TA2 Muscle Car Series is Australia’s fastest growing motorsport category with over 100 cars now delivered to Australia and New Zealand and drawing its international success from Etc
- Focus on cost control
- Driver talent
- Strict regulations
- Promotion of close competition
TA2 Formula
TA2 is based on a relevant, practical and purposeful racing platform that highlights driver talent and promotes close competition.
Designed, built and tuned with only one thing in mind —performance. The TA2 Muscle Car Series formula is built on a cost effective platform, combining the prowess of a purpose-built racing chassis and a 525 horsepower engine package that causes every head in the paddock to turn and take notice.
At 1250kg and over 525hp there is no other car that can compare to the performance of these cars in their price range.
This formula allows drivers to use their skill behind the wheel, not the money spent on the engine, to set them apart and propel them to the top of the pack.
The series covers 5 States/Territories in the country, crowning a national TA2 Champion, Northern, Southern and Western regional champions plus a New Zealand Champion.
Series Management
The TA2 Muscle Car Series is supported by a dedicated community of teams, drivers and series management with a passion for motorsport.
The management group is headed by PBR Distributions’ Peter Robinson, who manages the importing and distribution of the TA2 cars and equipment from Howe Racing Enterprises in the United States. Former V8 Utes category manager and noted motorsport administrator and commentator Craig Denyer administers the racing side of the category, while Dayna Bullock manages the car importing, accounting, parts supply and administration of the Company and Cameron Sendall is the Technical Manager, overlooking all the technical aspects, engine and component rebuilding include dyno work.
Howe Racing Enterprises
“Howe Racing Enterprises is well into a third generation, with Charlie and Patsy Howe taking on more significant business roles each year.
However, the original concept of affordable, high-quality race cars and parts remains the same as Ed and Joan Howe founded 50 years ago. ”
In 1971, Ed Howe left his day job to start a business called Ed Howe Racing. In those early days, the thought of selling their race cars was not part of the plan.
It took the foresight and persuasion from Hoosier Racing Tire founder Bob Newton, to finally convince Ed of the demand for his products.
By 1974, the company was incorpo- rated as Howe Racing Enterprises Inc The orders came flooding in and the workshop was soon backlogged with car orders.
Dick Knotts purchased the first car from Howe Racing for his son Rick.
Twelve months later a newspaper article a in the Grand Rapids Press reported that Howe had produced some 83 chassis in those early months of operation.
The small, four-person business looked for innovative ways to meet customer demand and thus began selling unassembled or kit cars, as a cheaper alternative to complete factory builds.
The kits were distributed to dealers around the country, several of which later became independent chassis builders such as Dillon, Port City, Lefthander, Randercar, Tri-City Buggy, Hanley, and Hamke.
There is no physical record of the number of kit chassis produced.
The peak year for Howe in chassis production peaked in 1982 with 170 exampled of the fifth design chassis produced across the calendar year.
In total 762 fifth design cars were built, which remains the greatest volume for any of the Howe designs though to 2022, though the current Camaro Cup / TA2 style chassis is on course to surpass that number by 2023.Ed’s son Chas Howe took charge over the recording of serial numbers in 1987 from chassis number 10687 for J&H Automotive in Massilon, Ohio.
The serial numbers at the point bore some recognition to the year of manufacture. As production numbers continued to rise, Howe looked to modify the process.
The last serial number with manufacture year indicated within the number was 05009, a Camaro Cup car for Performance Automotive in Sweden.
In 2010 Howe changed to sequential numbers preceded by an “H.”
In January of 2021, Howe fabricator Kalib Clark attached serial number H4000 and a commemorative plaque to a car bound for PBR Distributions in Australia.
In recognition of Howe’s 50th anniversary, PBR owner Peter Robinson assigned H4000 the name “Mr. Ed,” a nickname given to Ed by Hoosier tire in 1974.
Howe Racing Enterprises is well into a third generation, with Charlie and Patsy Howe taking on more signifi- cant business roles each year. However, the original concept of affordable, high-quality race cars and parts remain the same as Ed and Joan Howe founded 50 years ago.
Howe is looking forward to surpassing the 5,000 serial numbers in the years to come.
