Drivers gear up for world-first two-driver TA2 event in Darwin

Tickford Supercars co-driver Tyler Everingham and TCR Australia star Jordan Cox are two of the first drivers to sign up for the world-first TA2 two-driver event at Round 2 of the 2023 TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek Steel Framing at Hidden Valley Raceway on 29 April - 1 May. Teams from across Australia will converge to Darwin for two days of intense racing action headlining the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series at Hidden Valley across the Labour Day long weekend, with TA2 drivers set to battle it out to be the ‘TA2 Kings of the North’. The event marks not only the first time that the TA2 series will race in the top end, but the first two-driver event in the history of the TA2 formula worldwide. The format, which will be formally locked in upon release of the further regulations this week, is set to feature a seperate qualifying session for each driver and three races on each race day across Sunday and Monday. The races will comprise a single sprint race for each driver and a longer enduro featuring a driver change within a minimum timed pit stop, with both drivers earning championship points across the event. This event has attracted a host of new names from different categories, with one of the first entries announced as Tickford Racing Supercars endurance driver Tyler Everingham, who will partner series frontrunner and Dream Racing Australia stablemate Jackson Rice in the #7 Pedders Suspension & Brakes Ford Mustang. Everingham will use the race to support his National Trans-Am Series campaign with Dream Racing Australia and as preparation for this year’s Supercars endurance races at the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000 with Tickford Racing. Garry Rogers Motorsport TCR race winner Jordan Cox was another early entrant for the event. Cox will partner Mark Crutcher in the #4 Crutcher Developments Ford Mustang for his competitive debut in a V8, rear-wheel drive racing car. Cox cut some laps in Crutcher’s Mustang during practice for Round 1 at Winton, and is keen to show that his talents extend to rear-wheel drive machinery and shake off the label off a front-wheel drive specialist after his exploits in TCR and Improved Production racing. With the scenic backdrop of the stunning Northern Territory landscape, the event promises to be an unforgettable experience for both drivers and fans alike, with more entries to be announced in the coming days. Round 2 of the 2023 TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek Steel Framing takes place on 29 April - 1 May at Hidden Valley Raceway. Monday’s races will be live and free to air on SBS and simulcast on Fox Sports and Kayo.

QUOTESTyler Everingham, Tickford Racing Supercars Co-DriverDriving with Jackson Rice, #7 Pedders Suspension & Brakes Ford Mustang “I’m currently racing with Dream Racing Australia in the Trans Am Series and the opportunity popped up to race with Jackson [Rice] in the TA2 series, as soon as we heard there was a possibility of a co-driver round, we already sort of had a bit of an idea that we wanted to do it. “It’s a great opportunity to jump in and especially try and get some more miles for the Trans-Am Series rounds later in the year. "It's extremely valuable to get up to Darwin. It’s really difficult to get an opportunity to race anything up there outside of Supercars. It’s a long way to travel and to get this opportunity to go over and get some decent laps is really good. "Any sort of endurance racing and practice will be great once it comes time for Sandown and Bathurst later in the year. It’s a great opportunity and I can’t wait to get over there and race in the TA2 Series.” Jordan Cox, Garry Rogers Motorsport TCR Australia driverDriving with Mark Crutcher, #4 Crutcher Developments Ford Mustang “I’m super excited to line up for the TA2 enduro in Darwin. Mark Crutcher, who's a good friend of mine and someone who supported me in the early days of my racing career, he asked me to tag along and it took me less than a second to say yes for it. “I'm pretty keen to shake the ‘front-wheel drive’ tag. I’d like it to be an ‘all-round racer’ tag. To be honest, every time I drive a rear wheel drive car I like it more than a front-wheel drive. “I haven’t driven one in a competitive outing in a race meeting before, so it will be a different kettle of fish. “Mark’s got a good car, it’s well prepared and there’s no reason why I don't think we should do well at it. “They’re a great car. I’ve actually driven it twice. The first time was in Tasmania a few years ago in a practice session, and it was good then, and then I drove it at Winton this year and it felt ten times better than what I thought it was back then, and I though they were really good even back then. “I quite enjoyed the small amount of laps I did in it at Winton. They're very unique to drive. I've actually driven the European style Trans-Am before, and that's very different again, but I do know a bit about the cars, which helps. It’s a very unique driving style, but I think I can adapt to it. “I’ve never been to Darwin full stop, so not only am I excited to go race at Darwin, I'm very excited to go there and experience that part of the country for the first time.” Craig Denyer, TA2 Muscle Car Series Manager “At the TA2 Muscle Car Series, we're all about pushing the boundaries of racing, and the world-first TA2 two-driver race event is a perfect example of that. It's a unique concept that will undoubtedly take the excitement and competitiveness of TA2 racing to a whole new level and we’re proud to be pioneering this exciting concept for the TA2 formula worldwide. “We're proud to offer a platform for drivers to team up and create unforgettable racing moments. It's a thrilling opportunity to witness top drivers joining forces, showcasing their skills, strategy and teamwork, as they battle it out to be the ‘TA2 Kings of the North’. “We’re incredibly excited to see two of the best up-and-coming drivers in the country like Tyler Everingham and Jordan Cox sign up for it, and we can’t wait to see who else who will join in on this historic event.”