Morris headlines 20-strong TA2 grid at 2 Days of Thunder

Super2 Series driver Nash Morris will join a 20-strong grid for Round 3 of the TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek, headlining this weekend’s 2 Days of Thunder at Queensland Raceway with the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series.

Morris, son of 2014 Bathurst 1000 winner Paul Morris, will take to the track in the Supercheap Auto Ford Mustang after a race-winning return in the National Trans-Am Series at Phillip Island in May.

After a thrilling Round 2 in Darwin where he and co-driver Tim Brook claimed the ‘Kings of the North’ title, CXC Racing’s Dylan Thomas leads the series by six points over Pedders Suspension & Brakes Mustang driver Jackson Rice. Thomas’ co-driver Brook will return to the paddock at Queensland Raceway to support Thomas’ bid for the title.

Reigning Masters Class champion Nicholas Bates sits third overall on 368 points, with young charger Josh Haynes 11 points back in fourth.

Kobelco Motorsport’s Michael Coulter returns after a podium finish in the first two-driver race in Darwin alongside father Steve and sits seventh in the points, behind IES Motorsport’s Graham Cheney in sixth.

Total Parts Plus Motorsport’s Hayden Hume will continue his strong rookie charge after back-to-back Racetech Rookie of the Round performances at Winton and Darwin.

Inaugural Australian TA2 champion Russell Wright is set for his TA2 comeback this weekend after a strong cameo appearance as a co-driver for Rob Leonard at Round 2 in Darwin. Following Wright’s comeback announcement earlier this week, he has welcomed onboard Crew Commercial as the major backer on the number 55 Mustang.

Leonard returns this weekend to fight it out in the Circo Masters Class against the likes of Mark Crutcher, Greg Keam, Michael Rowell and Paul Hadley. 

Hayden Jackson, Brad Gartner, Chris Pappas, Hugh McAlister, Bernie Walsh and Kubota Racing’s Matt MacKelden complete the grid.

The TA2 Muscle Car Series fraternity will come together before Race 1 on Saturday to honour the life former Driving Standards & Prosecuting Officer and Australian motorsport veteran Geoff Leeds. Once cars form up on the grid for Race 1, all drivers will stand at the front of the grid for a short tribute and a minutes silence. Each car will also run a sticker on the rear quarter in memory of Leeds.

The weekend schedule will kick off with five practice sessions on Friday. A 15-minute Qualifying session will be held at 8:45am on Friday, followed by a Top 10 Shootout at 11:05am to set the grid for Race 1. Four sprint races will be held across the weekend, three 12-lappers and a finale over 20 laps. Race 1 will be held on Saturday at 2:25pm. Race 2 on Sunday morning will be streamed live via the TA2 Racing Australia Facebook and Hi Tec Oils Super Series’ Facebook and YouTube channel, before Races 3 and 4 will be included as part of the series live broadcast on SBS Viceland and SBS On Demand, Fox Sports and Kayo Sports. 

QUOTES

Nash Morris, #67 Supercheap Auto Ford Mustang

“Queensland Raceway is close for us, probably only 40 minutes up the road for us, so we thought we might as well go up there and race.

“It’s the 2 Days of Thunder, which was an event we did last year and the year before. It’s a pretty cool event and you normally get a few spectators to it too, so it will be good to take the Supercheap Auto Mustang there and hopefully achieve a good result in the TA2 Muscle Car Series.

“We had the car on display at the Supercheap Wildcard Launch Event last weekend and everyone loved it out there. Most people were wondering ‘what is this?’ A lot of them were pretty diehard Supercar fans that were at that event, but also some people that were pretty new to the sport so it was cool to show it off there.

“I watched some of the racing up in Darwin and the first round at Winton and guys like Josh Haynes and Jackson Rice and Brad Gartner are all going pretty good.

"I love driving these TA2 cars and enjoying myself driving them so we’ll head to Ipswich and have some fun this weekend!”

SCHEDULE TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek 2023 Round 3 - Queensland Raceway 2-4 June 2023 All times AEST

FRIDAY Practice 1: 9:39am (19 minutes) Practice 2: 11:09am (19 minutes) Practice 3: 12:39pm (19 minutes) Practice 4: 2:09pm (19 minutes) Practice 5: 3:39pm (19 minutes)

SATURDAY Qualifying: 8:45am (20 minutes) Top 10 Shootout: 11:05am Race 1: 2:25pm (12 laps)

SUNDAY Race 2: 9:32am (12 laps) Race 3: 1:14pm (12 laps) Race 4: 3:04pm (20 laps)

BROADCAST TIMES: Live stream: Sunday 9:30am to 12:45pm (TA2 Racing Australia Facebook, Hi Tec Oils Super Series Facebook & YouTube) Speedweek: Sunday 1pm (SBS Viceland, SBS On Demand, Fox Sports, Kayo Sports)

ENTRY LIST TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek 2023 Round 3 - Queensland Raceway

#4 Mark Crutcher (NSW), Ford Mustang - Crutcher Developments #6 Hugh McAlister (NSW), Ford Mustang - McAlister Motors #7 Jackson Rice (VIC), Ford Mustang - Pedders Suspension & Brakes #8 Chris Pappas (QLD), Ford Mustang - WealthRite #11 Michael Coulter (NSW), Chevrolet Camaro - Kobelco Motorsport #13 Greg Keam (NSW), Ford Mustang - Debeers Refinish #15 Michael Rowell (QLD), Ford Mustang - Norwell Racers #22 Brad Gartner (SA), Ford Mustang - Castec Rural Supplies/MVA Racing #24 Nicholas Bates (NSW), Ford Mustang - Sullivans #37 Josh Haynes (NSW), Ford Mustang - Beaches SEADOO #40 Robert Leonard (QLD), Ford Mustang - Access Linemarking Equipment/Municipal Works Australia #45 Hayden Hume (QLD), Dodge Challenger - Total Parts Plus #50 Paul Hadley (NSW), Chevrolet Camaro - IES Motorsport #51 Graham Cheney (NSW), Chevrolet Camaro - IES Motorsport#52 Bernie Walsh (QLD), Ford Mustang - Red Point Racing #55 Russell Wright (QLD), Ford Mustang - Crew Commercial #67 Nash Morris (QLD), Ford Mustang - Supercheap Auto #68 Dylan Thomas (NSW), Ford Mustang - CXC Racing #81 Hayden Jackson (NSW), Dodge Challenger - MGW/Team RSG #99 Matthew MacKelden, Ford Mustang - Kubota Racing