Aussies dominate Day One of NZ VS AUS TA2 Trans-Tasman Challenge
 "Aussies dominate Day One of NZ VS AUS TA2 Trans-Tasman Challenge")
Lismore’s Nathan Herne led an Aussie One/Two in practice for this weekends Wilco Precast Trans-Tasman TA2 Challenge at Ruapuna New Zealand. Herne, fresh from racing TA2 in the USA, is looking to get his eye in before he hopefully returns to the States to a busy season later this year. Driving the Dodge Challenger that he raced at Mr Panorama in 2020, Herne was the only driver in the 26’s in the final session with a 1.26.8, 9/10ths faster than IES Camaro driver Graham Cheney. Eighteen-year-old NZ driver Ben Stewart was 3rd fastest from Brent Collins with NSW driver Mark Crutcher 5th and South Aussie’s Brad Gartner in the Captain America Dodge 6th. All cars had a trouble-free run today under mixed condition, the first time TA2 Muscle Cars have raced on the South Island.
Qualifying will be held tomorrow morning, followed by the first 10 lap sprint race, with another 10-lap sprint race on Sunday, and a 20-lap final, all televised live by Foxsport/Kayo.
The final round will be held at Highlands Park next weekend, with the overall winner taking home the Howe Engineering Services Perpetual trophy, while the highest scoring country overall will be awarded the prestigious Jason Richards Memorial trophy. The New Zealand Team is Captained by Peter Ward, while Mark Crutcher has anointed himself as the Capt of the Aussie team and looking forward to leading Australia to victory in the first inter country TA2 Challenge to be held anywhere in the world.
