Road Active Suspension Camaro driver Jarrod Hughes has taken out Round 1 of the 2025 TFH Hire TA2 Muscle Car Series - Presented by Maritimo after an action-packed final day of racing at Winton Motor Raceway. 

The morning’s qualifying session initially saw Ben Gomersall (#35 UNIT Racing/TFH) trump rival Hughes to pole position, but the Queenslander was unable to hold off the points-leader into Turn 1 in the first race. 

Race 1 saw trouble for #81 Dodge Challenger driver Hayden Jackson, after he sustained an engine failure which caused a grass fire. He was subsequently parked up for the rest of the day.

Mustang driver Mark Crutcher and Mark Bailey in the Jax Tyres & Auto Camaro came together early in the race, with Bailey’s car failing to fire up after going off at Turn 3, while James Simpson also had an off at the sweeper and failed to finish in the Dodge Challenger.

Hughes went on to win from Gomersall with Brad Gartner, Josh Thomas and Josh Webster rounding out the top five.

From the green in Race 2, Hughes again took the lead from Gomersall while Graham Cheney (#51 IES Motorsport) and Josh Thomas (#169 TFH Racing) speared off in the infield after trying to run three wide in Turn 1.  Later in the race, Michael Coulter, Kiara Zabetakis and Josh Thomas came together, resulting in a DNF for Thomas and the 17-year-old female rookie who was very impressive in her first TA2 race weekend.

In the closing laps, Hughes sustained a broken bolt on the front right A-arm which allowed Gomersall to overtake for the lead on the penultimate lap, taking the win with Brad Gartner joining them on the podium as the top 3 overall point scorers for the round.

Diesel Thomas (#18 TFH Hire Racing) took his Ford Mustang to the top of the rookie standings for the round on debut, having qualified fourth outright on Sunday, a personal best in any category he’s competed in. The 16-year-old finished the final race in as well fourth.

IES Racing’s Graham Cheney took the Circo Masters Class outright ahead of speedway legends Robbie Farr and Domain Ramsay. 

Round 2 of the TFH Hire TA2 Muscle Car Series - Presented by Maritimo will take place on 18-20 April at Mount Panorama, Bathurst. This round will be a combined grid with the Trans Am Series promising a thrilling weekend.

QUOTES

Jarrod Hughes, #118 Road Active Suspension Chevrolet Camaro 

“Unreal weekend for myself for round one here at Winton. I came home with three out of the four race wins, unfortunately didn’t get to get the fourth win due to a failure in the front right suspension. The boys did an awesome job all weekend, it was a rocket. I can’t thanks the IES Motorsport team enough as well as all my sponsors and family for coming down and helping out. Hopefully this is the start of a great 2025."

Diesel Thomas, #18 TFH Hire Racing Ford Mustang  

“It was an up and down weekend I can say for the most part. On Saturday we qualified in a good position for Race 1 but we ended up not finishing the race due to sustaining damage on the first lap. We qualified 4th on Sunday which was my best qualifying result I have had in any category and on debt in the series it was an amazing feeling. The final race on Sunday didn’t go our way as I got spun out on lap one. I am ecstatic to walk away with the Rookie of the Round, and I am looking forward to Round 2 at Bathurst in April.” 

Graham Cheney, #51 IES Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro 

“It was definitely an up and down weekend for me and the team, we had a few issues this weekend, but the team stepped it up with the setup and the car after that was unreal. Big credit to everyone for the whole weekend, it ran like clockworks. I am really looking forward to getting to Bathurst and seeing what we can do.”

IES Motorsport’s Jarrod Hughes has clean swept Saturday taking home pole position and two race victories at Winton Motor Raceway for Round 1 of the TFH Hire TA2 Muscle Car Series - Presented by Maritimo. 

The fight to Hughes was taken up by fellow Super2 steerer Ben Gomersall (#35 UNIT Racing/TFH) and Josh Webster (#200 Autofix) who finished second and third respectively in both races of the day’s 20-minute races.

Race 1’s start saw the field of 20 TA2s charge to the Turn 1 sweeper with rookie Diesel Thomas (#18 TFH Racing) flying to the infield, sustaining damage and failing to finish. Tom Davies (#42 Exchange Hotel Kilcoy) also scored a DNF due to a fire in the engine bay, causing the Queenslander to not be on the grid for Race 2.

The afternoon’s second race saw the same top-3 finishers in Hughes, Gomersall and Webster, with Cameron Laws (#29 Racing Academy) recovering from a race-one disqualification to finish 11th and leading rookie.

Leading Circo Masters driver Graham Cheney finished eighth outright in both races and the series’ only female driver Kiara Zabetakis - who qualified an impressive 14th place on debut - finished 14th and 17th in each race.

Sunday March 2 will see morning qualifying session at 10.25am AEDT followed by Race 1 and 2 which will be broadcast live on SBS free-to-air, FoxSports and Kayo Sports from 1pm AEDT. 

QUOTES

Jarrod Hughes, #118 Road Active Suspension Chevrolet Camaro 

“It was an awesome race. I was happy to convert pole position into a race win. There is lots of learning still to do with the new tyres were just trying to go through the data and videos as much as we can and try to learn as much as we can going into tomorrow.”

Ben Gomersall, # Unit Racing/TFH Ford Mustang 

“Overall a pretty good day for myself. Just missed out on pole position. We found some speed over night but there’s still a bit more to find. We brought it home in the final race today in p2. We’re slowly chipping away and l am looking forward to tomorrow."

Graham Cheney, #51 IES Motorsport Chevrolet Camaro 

“It wasn’t too bad, didn’t quite get the lap i wanted. I was actually on a pretty good lap and ran a little bit wide out of turn 11 which really cost me.”

“I had a reasonable start in race 1 and was holding position. I got tipped out in turn 11 but recovered. The other two masters ran off at turn 1 on the last lap so i came away with the win in masters class.”

“I really struggled with turning the car in race 2. I did really well in the first sector, but coming into the sweeper I struggled a little bit. Had a good race with Des Collier and struggled to get past him which put a smile on his face.”

“Tomorrow is going to be a very interesting day considering most drivers in the field don’t have green tyres so they’re going to be on old tyres. The temperature will be down a bit but it should be good.”

The highly anticipated 2025 TFH Hire TA2 Muscle Car Series - presented by Maritimo is ready to roar into action this weekend as Round One kicks off at Winton Motor Raceway February 28-March 2, featuring a strong grid of 20 cars including a fresh lineup of talented rookies alongside seasoned drivers.

2025 marks a new chapter following the ownership transition in November 2024 when regular competitors Mark Crutcher, Graham Cheney, and Paul Hadley purchased both the TA2 series and supply arm PBR Distributions, while Matt MacKelden was appointed Category Manager after vastly experienced motorsport identity Craig Denyer announced his retirement. 

Super 2 stars Jarrod Hughes and Ben Gomersall will be joining the field this weekend, Gomersall fresh off his podium on debut at SMP last weekend, while 17-year-old Rookie Kiara Zabetakis also makes her national racing debut at the wheel of a Camaro. 

Series regulars Brad Gartner, Hayden Jackson, Michael Coulter, Mark Bailey, Des Collier and Josh Thomas all return for the season, as does the “Speedway Gang” of Robbie Farr, Danny Reidy, and Domain Ramsay. 

In addition to Zabetakis and Gomersall, young talents Diesel Thomas, Cameron Laws, Tom Davies, and James Simpson will also be making their debuts at the rural Victorian circuit. 

Tasmanian racer Josh Webster will also make his TA2 Muscle Car Series debut this weekend joining former Supercars Champion and NASCAR star Marcos Ambrose Motorsport in the return of Marcos Ambrose Motorsport to TA2 competition.

Matt Naulty will also join the series as lead commentator as all 4 races will be live and free to air across the weekend, another change from 2024. 

The series point score  will be split into 3 classes for the year featuring the PRO class for the experienced front runners, the Circo Master Class for the over 45’s, and the Rookie Class for the first year TA2 drivers.

The opening round of the TFH Hire TA2 Muscle Car Series - presented by Maritimo will feature four thrilling races over the weekend, taking place from February 28 to March 2. Fans can catch all the action live on SBS free to air, Fox Sports, and Kayo Sports. 

QUOTES

Graham Cheney, #51 IES Motorsport Chevrolet Camaro

“This year marks a new chapter for me after myself, Paul Hadley and Mark Crutcher have taken ownership of TA2 Racing Australia. There are two reasons for the category, one is to have fun and a good family atmosphere as well as making it grow to get more up and comers into the category to give them a pathway moving forward.”

“Heading into Winton this weekend I know we have a very good and capable team to look after the category so I can keep my head focused on my job which is to race the car.”

Brad Gartner, #22 Hi-Tec Oils Chevrolet Camaro 

“Going into Winton we definitely have the team and car behind us to be able to take home a championship. This is my third year racing these cars, and with all the experience we've gained, I feel we're in a great spot. I've had most of my success and wins at Winton Raceway, so I’m confident we have a solid chance this year.”

“After the crash at the Adelaide 500 last year, I got a brand-new car and chassis, which has given me a fresh start. Finishing in the top 5 at Winton would be incredible, especially since I've never finished a TA2 round one before. It’s important to keep things clean, as I want to enter the rest of the season without any worries. I’m really excited to get started.”

Jarrod Hughes, #118 Road Active Suspension Chevrolet Camaro 

“After last weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park in the Super 2 car, luck didn’t go our way and it was a hard pill to swallow, there was a lot of things that went wrong and I think that has given me a lot more eagerness heading into Winton this weekend.” 

“Although I'm not running the full TA2 Series this year, my aim is to win as many races as possible and bring home some trophies. If I said I was going there to not wanting to win that would be a lie. I’m going into Winton ready to do whatever it takes to come out on top.”

Entry List

#2 James Simpson, SP Tools, Dodge Challenger 

#4 Mark Crutcher, Crutcher Developments, Ford Mustang 

#5 Danny Reidy, Palm Desert Alice Springs, Chevrolet Camaro 

#7 Robbie Farr, Hi-Tec Oils, Chevrolet Camaro 

#11 Michael Coulter, Turps Tippers, Ford Mustang 

#12 Mark Bailey, Jax Tyres & Auto, Chevrolet Camaro 

#22 Brad Gartner, Hi-Tec Oils, Chevrolet Camaro

#23 Diesel Thomas, TFH Racing, Ford Mustang 

#29 Cameron Laws, The Racing Academy, Ford Mustang 

#35 Ben Gomersall, Unit Racing, Ford Mustang

#42 Tom Davies, Exchange Hotel Kilcoy, Ford Mustang

#50 Paul Hadley, IES Motorsport, Chevrolet Camaro

#51 Graham Cheney, IES Motorsport, Chevrolet Camaro 

#63 Des Collier, TFH Racing, Ford Mustang 

#71 Domain Ramsay, C & H Trucking, Chevrolet Camaro 

#81 Hayden Jackson, Team RSG, Dodge Challenger 

#121 Kiara Zabetakis, KRT Motorsport, Chevrolet Camaro 

#118 Jarrod Hughes, Road Active Suspension, Chevrolet Camaro 

#169 Josh Thomas, TFH Racing, Ford Mustang 

#200 Josh Webster, AutoFix, Ford Mustang 
 

Schedule

Friday 

10:05am Practice 1

1:15pm Practice 2

4:10pm Practice 3

Saturday 

9:25am Qualifying (20 mins)

1:35pm Race 1 (22 mins)

3:55pm Race 2 (23 mins)

Sunday 

9:45am Qualifying (20 mins)

1:05pm Race 3 (22 mins)

3:55pm Race 4 (23 mins)
 

Broadcast Details 

Saturday: 

Live Stream on the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series Facebook Page— 9:30am-1:00pm 

SBS on Demand Fox Sports, Kayo Sports - 1:00pm - 5:00pm 

Sunday: 

Live Stream on the Hi-Tec Oils Super Series Facebook Page - 9:30am - 1:00pm 

SBS Free to Air, Fox Sports, Kayo Sports - 1:00pm - 5:00pm 

TA2 Racing Australia is proud to announce that Maritimo Luxury Motor Yachts has signed as the Co Naming Rights Partner of the 2025 TA2 Australia Muscle Car Series beginning at Winton Motor Raceway this weekend February 28th to March 2nd.

Maritimo joins TFH Hire with the series being known as the “TFH HIRE TA2 Muscle Car Series Presented by Maritimo.”

Maritimo is a leading Australian luxury motor yacht manufacturer known for its commitment to quality, innovation, and craftsmanship. With a legacy of delivering exceptional offshore blue water vessels, Maritimo continues to set the standard for luxury boating worldwide.

Maritimo has the culture of motorsport in their DNA with decades of offshore powerboat racing, where it derives, develops and tests world-class technologies that form the heart of every Maritimo created, built and enjoyed by owners the world over.

Maritimo is unique as the only luxury motor yacht builder in the world with a dedicated racing division and world championship race team all in-house, to provide the intelligence to keep them at the leading edge of motor yacht design and construction.

QUOTES:

Simon Stewart, Marketing Manager, Maritimo
“The TA2 Muscle Car Series is a platform enjoyed not only in Australia, but also in the US, Europe, Asia and NZ, so we’re looking forward to using the partnership to further develop relationships with our customers both locally and internationally."

“Many of our existing customers enjoy motorsport and racing is at the heart of everything we do, so we can’t wait for the action to start this weekend”

Matt MacKelden, Category Manager, TA2 Muscle Car Series

“We’re extremely excited to welcome such a prestigious brand to the TA2 Muscle Cars Series and along with TFH HIRE look forward to what 2025 brings for all parties.”

“The TA2 Muscle Car Series has enjoyed a great off season with new ownership and management and round one at Winton this weekend is shaping up to be a brilliant start to the series, so 2025 couldn’t be a better time for Maritimo to join the action.”

Tasmanian racer Josh Webster is set to make his debut in the TA2 Racing Australia Series this weekend at Winton Motor Raceway, running from February 28th to March 2nd in his Auto Fix-supported TA2 Mustang.

The 22-year-old, who competed in the National Trans Am Championship in 2024, is now looking to further hone his craft in the TA2 Series—a platform that will see him compete against some of Australia’s top talents including Erebus Enduro and Super 2 Jarrod Hughes and Triple 8 Race Engineering’s Ben Gomersall.

Webster’s entry into the 2025 Series is bolstered by the support of fellow Tasmanian and motorsport icon Marcos Ambrose.

The former Supercars Champion and NASCAR star will lend his experience through his team, Marcos Ambrose Motorsport. Ambrose is no stranger to the TA2 platform, having previously contributed to GRM’s Trans Am program and the Marcos Ambrose Combine.

Round one of the TFH Hire TA2 Muscle Car Series kicks of this weekend at Winton Motor Raceway February 28 - March 2. Four races will be featured across the weekend with all the action live on SBS, Fox Sports and Kayo Sports.

QUOTES: 

Josh Webster, #200 AutoFix Chevrolet Camaro 

“Teaming up with Marcos and Marcos Ambrose Motorsport is super exciting - me and my team can’t wait to get to Winton and get started.” said Webster. 

“Obviously we’re both Tasmanian and he’s always been there with support, even back in my Excel Racing days. To finally put together a deal is something I could only dream of.”

Marcos Ambrose

“I’m really excited to bring the Marcos Ambrose Motorsport Team in conjunction with Josh’s team to TA2, particularly as we’ve known Josh for many years.” said Ambrose. 

“We’re providing technical, logistic and mechanical support to Josh’s team in an effort to move him up the grid and achieve the success he and his team are capable of.”

“We’ve already tested with Josh and we’re really happy with his feedback and speed so I expect a lot from him this year, however as a new team, I’m sure it will take us all a little time to get acclimated with each other so we’re mindful that this week is round one and there may be some challenges.”