Gold Coaster Chris Pappas now leads the TA2 Muscle Car Northern Series framed by Hytek after taking out Round 2 at the Shannons 2 Days of Thunder at Queensland Raceway ahead of James Simpson and Mark Crutcher.

Inaugural TA2 champion Russell Wright was the best performer on Sunday with victory in Races 3 and 4 in the Sibley Lawyers Mustang ahead of Pappas’ Wealthrite Mustang in each. The first race saw a clinical drive from Wright to win by ten-seconds, while the final was a closer affair with a 1.5 second margin after a mid-race safety car.

Wright was lucky to make the start in Race 3 after a late pre-race rear brake rotor change but showed strong to set a fastest lap of 1:13.5030, two-tenths shy of his own race lap record set last year.

Race 2 winner Pappas missed a gear off the start causing the inside line to slow into Turn 1 as Graham Cheney almost collected the back of James Simpson who locked up to miss Pappas.

Hayden Jackson was a big mover on the outside line up to third as Wright made the move for the lead on Tim Shaw down the inside into Turn 3 on the first lap. Jackson was having his best run in fourth before he found the grass at Turn 4 on Lap 6 and fell to 11th.

Pappas lead off the start in Race 4 before Wright regained the lead at Turn 4 on the first lap. 

Simpson closed in on Pappas but hung on to third place to secure second outright and the Racetech Rookie of the Round in the Seven 82 Motors Dodge ahead of Circo Masters winner Mark Crutcher.

Crutcher diced with Peter Robinson in a race-long battle before Robinson got in the rear of Crutcher and turned him around at Turn 6 on Lap 10. Robinson was excluded from the race for his part in the incident.

Hayden Jackson caused the only safety car for the weekend when he spun at Turn 3 on Lap 6, while Tim Shaw retired from the final with a mechanical issue.

Crutcher won the Masters Class from Beric Lynton and Paul Hadley. Tim Shaw and Anthony Tenkate shared the Hyperco Hard Charger Award for passing six cars each in Races 1 and 2, Lynton won the Wilwood Big Braker Award and Nick Lange won the Bowdens Own Best Presented Award.

The TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek next heads to Western Australia for a series of back-to-back exhibition events at Perth’s Wanneroo Raceway and Collie Motorplex on 23/24 July and 30/31 July respectively.

QUOTES

Chris Pappas, #8 Wealthrite Ford Mustang

“I feel on top of the world, it’s really good to get the round win and to get my first race win this weekend was great

"I’d like to thank everyone from TA2, Tony Quinn and the team at Queensland Raceway for all the work they have done as the place looks great, and everyone from Norwell Motorplex who run my car and train me up and help me to achieve the round win.”

James Simpson, #782 Seven 82 Motors Dodge Challenger

“Awesome weekend, it was great to get a podium but one of the best things was to bring the car home in one piece. It was good to meet a lot of nice people and enjoy some good, clean racing. 

“Race 1 was awesome to move up from sixth to third, Race 2 had a couple of rookie mistakes and ran a bit wide and cost a couple of positions but I kept moving forwards and I was over the moon with my performance this weekend, I wasn’t expecting to finish up on the podium.”

Mark Crutcher, #4 Crutcher Developments Ford Mustang

“Saturday was incredible for us with first and third, today we got in a bit of trouble but we were able to get out of it and get enough points to get on the podium in the end.”

“It was a great weekend, thanks to my crew and all my family who came out to watch.”

Pointscore 2022 Northern Series After Round 2 - Ipswich

1 - Chris Pappas, 393 2 - Graham Cheney, 367 3 - Mark Crutcher, 355 4 - Nick Lange, 329 5 - Paul Hadley, 316 6 - Anthony Tenkate, 301 7 - Russell Wright, 250 8 - Nash Morris, 220 9 - Jett Johnson, 208 10 - James Simpson, 197

Mark Crutcher and Chris Pappas both scored their maiden race wins in Races 1 and 2 of the TA2 Muscle Car Northern Series framed by Hytek at Queensland Raceway on Saturday for the Shannons 2 Days of Thunder.

A record-breaking qualifying session saw Tim Shaw, Russell Wright and Mark Crutcher all lower the TA2 Qualifying Lap Record of Queensland Raceway set by Aaron Seton in 2019 as Shaw scored his second career PWR Pole Award with a blistering 1:12.3010 effort in the Shaw Motorsport Camaro.

Shaw and Wright drove away from the pack in Race 1 as Shaw lead from the outset. Wright closed in on Shaw as the race went on before the pair made contact on Lap 5. Wright got into the back of Shaw’s Camaro and turned him around at Turn 4.

Shaw dropped to sixth as a result of the contact as Wright took the chequered flag first before he was excluded from the race, handing second-placed Crutcher his first TA2 race win.

Crutcher credited the likes of Supercars Champion and NASCAR winner Marcos Ambrose and renowned engineer Paul Forgie for the recent turn of pace in the Crutcher Developments Mustang.

Anthony Tenkate and Graham Cheney were the big movers in Race 1, moving forward from 11th to fifth and ninth to fourth respectively.

Crutcher lead the pack for Race 2 as Tenkate moved up two spots to third on the first lap. Tenkate was on course for a strong finish before he locked up and spun at the Turn 6 hairpin on Lap 6 and retired from the race.

Pappas chased down Crutcher in the early running and made his move for the lead at Turn 3 on Lap 8. He hold on for his first circuit racing victory to lead home a Norwell Motorplex one-two finish ahead of Shaw who charged from eighth to second.

Wright was another hard charger in Race 2 with a clinical drive from 13th to fourth after his Race 1 penalty ahead of rookie James Simpson in a terrific scrap with the top five split by under two seconds.

The TA2 Muscle Car Northern Series framed by Hytek returns for Races 3 and 4 at 9:30am and 12:48pm respectively on Sunday at the Shannons 2 Days of Thunder at Queensland Raceway.

QUOTES

Mark Crutcher, #4 Crutcher Developments Ford Mustang

“It’s been such a ride doing this for five years with people I love in motor vehicles I love. I got emotional, it was incredible.

“Even Rusty who finished first but got demoted came and gave me a hug and congratulated me, and bad luck for Tim but to race against names like Tim Shaw and Rusty Wright was a pleasure, I had a smile all the way round.

“So many people have helped me, Stuey at home, my wife Melissa, Peter Robinson, Cameron Sendall and all the TA2 crew and Paul Forgie who has been helping lately with setup.

“We had a lot of help from Marcos Ambrose at the start with the setup, it sounds funny to even say his name, and Paul Forgie also who is a legend of the game. Paul has taken me to the next level with the setup and he has helped a few people but for me the simple things he has done has let me drive the car quicker, I was shocked by the times we were putting out.”

Chris Pappas, #8 Wealthrite Ford Mustang

“It felt great to get my first win today and it was a good race out there.

“There were a few good battles. Tenkate moved through early and Crutcher was really quick as well, Shaw moved up towards the end and he was on my tail putting a lot of pressure on but I just had my eyes forward and kept going.

“Norwell has been the most crucial part of my whole development. Two years ago I had never driven a race car before, just a couple of track days. 

“I came to Norwell, met the guys there, got in an Excel, got in the TA2, they run my car for me and a few others, it’s been good having a whole team so when we do come to meetings like this we’ve got several drivers who can share data, some might be better in certain corners and some better in others, so we put it all together and as a team we move forward.”

A host of new faces to the TA2 ranks will hit the track for Round 2 of the TA2 Muscle Car Northern Series framed by Hytek this weekend, June 25-26, headlining the Shannons 2 Days of Thunder at Queensland Raceway.

No less than four drivers will make their TA2 debuts this weekend, including 2019 Bathurst 6 Hour winner and Production Car ace Beric Lynton, third-generation racer James Simpson, former Toyota 86 Series racer Hayden Jackson and Production Sports Car racer Jeff Hume.

Lynton is a long-time stalwart of the production car scene in Australia, having won the Bathurst 6 Hour in 2019 and a two-time winner of the Australian Production Cars Championship. 

Lynton will take the wheel of an ex Aaron Seton championship-winning TA2 Ford Mustang while he is also awaiting the arrival of a new car into the country by the end of this year to explore lease options to prospective drivers.

The Northern Series is a regional series within the wider TA2 Muscle Car season, combining national and state events for local racers who prefer a regional championship compared to a full national calendar. 

The 2021 Northern Series was taken out by third-generation racer Jett Johnson in his first circuit racing title, and recently took part in an evaluation day with championship-winning Supercars squad Dick Johnson Racing in a Shell V Power Racing Ford Mustang.

Nash Morris leads the Northern Series by virtue of taking out Round 1 at Sydney Motorsport Park in March. However, Chris Pappas, Graham Cheney and Mark Crutcher and Anthony Tenkate are effectively battling for the series lead having entered for Round 2.

The TA2 Muscle Car Northern Series framed by Hytek will have four races across the weekend at Queensland Raceway, kicking off with Qualifying on Saturday at 9:52am.

QUOTES

Beric Lynton, #23 Bruce Lynton BM Service Ford Mustang

“We bought this car late last year off Craig Harris. It was Aaron Seton’s championship car which we ran Dalton Ellery in Trans-Am earlier in the year.” 

“We haven’t leased it out yet, we’re talking to a few people and this round popped up as an extra round before Trans-Am and TA2 are back up here in August, so we thought we would have a bit of fun and come along and have a race.”

"The car was there and I had my first drive of it just over a week ago out at Queensland Raceway. It was completely different to drive to a production car which I’ve raced most of the time. 

“It was a good experience and an enjoyable car to drive, it’s a challenge getting your head about how to drive it differently. 

“The biggest challenge so far has been carrying more corner speed. I’ve got to stop slowing it down too much for the corners and believe the tyres have got more grip than what we run in production cars, as we ran r-spec tyres compared to the slicks on the TA2 cars.

“There’s lots of other little things, nothing completely new or major. I’ve raced on slicks before, I’ve raced left-hand drive before, but just putting it all together will be the challenge having driven a paddle-shift production car for the last few years.

“The Northern Series is a good first-up experience to learn the basics of these cars against other TA2 cars out on track. In this environment we’re all going to be nose to tail and in traffic I know some people also having their first or second start in these cars.” 

“No one is out there to swap panels and bash cars up, if there’s a quick kid there will be off and we’ll do what we do and learn as we go and enjoy it with guys who are like-minded in learning the cars.”

SCHEDULE 2022 TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek Northern Series, Round 2 - Queensland Raceway, June 25-26

Friday General Practice

Saturday Qualifying - 9:52am (20 minutes) Race 1 - 1:12pm (20 minutes) Race 2 - 4:27pm (20 minutes)

Sunday Race 3 - 9:30am (20 minutes) Race 4 - 12:48pm (20 minutes)

ENTRY LIST 2022 TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek Round 2 - Northern Series, Queensland Raceway - June 25-26

MASTERS, #4 Mark Crutcher (NSW), Ford Mustang - Crutcher Developments PRO, #8 Chris Pappas (QLD), Ford Mustang - Wealthrite/Norwell Motorplex MASTERS, #10 Peter Robinson (QLD), Dodge Challenger - Wagner Corporation MASTERS, #23 Beric Lynton, Ford Mustang - Bruce Lynton BM Service MASTERS, #45 Jeff Hume, Dodge Challenger - Total Parts Plus PRO, #48 Nick Lange, Chevrolet Camaro - Whitsundays Holiday Rentals MASTERS, #50 Paul Hadley (NSW), Chevrolet Camaro - Illawarra Engineering Services PRO, #51 Graham Cheney (NSW), Chevrolet Camaro - Illawarra Engineering Services MASTERS, #55 Russell Wright (QLD), Wright Property Developments MASTERS, #66 Tim Shaw (TAS), Shaw Motorsport MASTERS, #69 Anthony Tenkate (QLD), Tenkate Plant Hire PRO, #81 Hayden Jackson, Dodge Challenger - HJ Plant Repairs PRO, #782 James Simpson (QLD), Dodge Challenger - Seven82 Motors

Pointscore2022 Northern SeriesAfter Round 1 - Sydney

1 - Nash Morris, 220 2 - Jett Johnson, 208 3 - Michael Coulter, 192 4 - Zach Loscialpo, 185 5 - Chris Pappas, 182 6 - Murray Kent, 178 7 - Graham Cheney, 178 8 - John McLaughlin, 165 9 - Chris Formosa, 165 = 10 - Mark Crutcher, 163 =10 - Anthony Tenkate, 163

Jett Johnson won both Races 3 and 4 on Sunday at Winton Motor Raceway to extend his series lead in the PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek Steel Framing.

The first race of the day saw the safety car brought out on Lap 1 when IES Motorsport’s Paul Hadley was hit from behind by Kyle Gurton through Turn 2. Hadley spun into John Holinger’s Camaro which saw significant front-end damage to end Holinger’s weekend prematurely.

As the field circulated behind the safety car, Josh Haynes grounded to a halt at Turn 6 after a mechanical failure in the Elvin Group Camaro.

The field got back underway on Lap 7 as Jackson Rice and Mark Crutcher battled hard for fourth place. Rice passed Crutcher on Lap 8 as Crutcher went back down the inside at Turn 10 before the pair locked horns and drove off the track along the back straight with Rice's grill stuck to Crutcher's rear bumper.

Johnson scored a two-second win in Race 3 from CXC Racing’s Dylan Thomas and Tempest Solutions Camaro driver Zach Loscialpo. IES Motorsport's Graham Cheney finished a strong fourth from Murray Kent's Fit Flask Camaro and Masters Class winner Nicholas Bates.

Haynes, Rice and Gurton all started from the rear of the grid in Race 4 and charged through to third, fourth and fifth respectively, as Haynes earned the Hyperco Hard Charger Award for the weekend.

Johnson was unstoppable in the final race to win the weekend from Thomas, the Racetech Rookie of the Round.

Loscialpo brushed the wall on the outside of Turn 2 off the start and dropped to the back of the field before recovering to tenth to finish third for the weekend behind Thomas and Johnson.

Cheney won the Wildwood Big Broker Award, while Hass Racing’s Jason Hassett won the Bowden’s Own Best Presented Award.

Johnson extended his series lead to 65 points over Loscialpo as Thomas improved two spots you third in the standings, while Bates gained the lead of the Masters Class over Crutcher.

The next round of the PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek heads to Queensland Raceway for a round of the Northern Series on June 24-26

QUOTES

Jett Johnson, driver #117 NAPA Auto Parts, Ford Mustang

“I got in front and tried to extend the lead as much as I could in each race which is all we really had to do.

“It was a tricky track. I had done a fair bit on the sim, there were a couple of bits of the track which I thought were going to be quite easy which turned out to really only get my driving sorted by the last race, but we got there at the end and learn a lot.

“Thanks to NAPA Auto Parts, the Team Johnson crew and all our partners for their support this weekend.”

Dylan Thomas, driver #68 CXC Global Racing, Ford Mustang

“At The Bend we went third in each race and here we got a bunch of seconds, so there’s progression.

“We’ll get to first next round then won’t we? Queensland Raceway, Jett’s home track, we’ll go and take it away from him. Seems logical to me!”

“The car started off strong, made improvements over the weekend and got quicker and quicker. It was unfortunately in the last race, Turn 1 and 2 are very tight around here so we came back from last to tenth so still can’t complain.

Zach Loscialpo, driver #21 Tempest Solutions, Chevrolet Camaro

“The car is straight, little bit of damage to fix up before the next round but great work to Jett, Dylan and a great event this weekend.

“Thanks to Tempest Solutions and the Waltec Motorsport team for their support.”

Kyle Gurton and Jett Johnson shared a race win each in the first two races of Round 3 of the PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek at Winton Motor Raceway.

Qualifying saw NAPA Auto Parts Mustang racer Johnson score his third career PWR Pole Award from Dream Racing Australia duo Jackson Rice and Gurton. Round 2 winner Josh Haynes qualified fourth after he brought out the red flag half way through the session after he skated off into the gravel trap at Turn 3.

Race 1 saw Gurton win a last-lap dash to the flag to score his first career circuit racing victory. Polesitter Johnson got the wholeshot off the start and lead until the first safety car period was called on Lap 5 when Rob Leonard spun his Access Line Marking Equipment Camaro at the Turn 5 sweeper.

Gurton took the lead on the first lap after the restart before another safety car was called the following lap when Chris Sutton came unstuck at Turn 12 after he and Murray Kent made contact. The Nuveau Constructions Mustang driver survived a last-lap dash to take the win ahead of Johnson, Rice, Josh Haynes and CXC Racing’s Dylan Thomas.

Gurton controlled the lead in Race 2 until a safety car was called on Lap 7 to recover John Holinger’s Camaro which was parked on the exit of Turn 4 with an electrical issue.

The field resumed on Lap 10 before another safety car was called when Chris Sutton slid off the track at Turn 4 and came to rest next to Jason Hassett who had a seperate spin at the same corner. 

With one lap remaining, Gurton fell foul to a mechanical failure on the restart as Johnson took the lead into Turn 1. Rice chased down Johnson on the final lap and made a move for the lead at Turn 11 as the pair went side-by-side through the final corner. 

The pair drag-raced to the chequered flag before contact sent Rice spinning into the field as Johnson took the win. The clash between Rice and Johnson was investigated but determined a racing incident.

Thomas came through to finish second from Tempest Solutions Camaro driver Zach Loscialpo, ahead of a personal best finish for Master Class leader Mark Crutcher in fourth.

The PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series framed by Hytek returns for two more races tomorrow which will be live streamed on the TA2 Racing Australia and AMRS facebook pages.

QUOTES

Kyle Gurton, driver #2 Nuveau Group, Ford Mustang

“Race 1 was a fairly fast paced race up the front there with nothing left on the table and I was really happy to come away with my first ever race win.

"When I was in front for the restart, I knew the key was going to be the final restart when I was in the lead so to get the edge on the field off the start really set up for the rest of that last lap.”

“I pulled a couple of seconds on the field in the second race and started maintaining it and saving the tyres, but unfortunately a mechanical issue on the left rear at the last restart sent me back down the order.

“It was a big confidence booster and the plan was to build a gap in clean air and conserve, but that happens in racing sometimes and we’ll get ready to come back through the field tomorrow.”

Jett Johnson, driver #117 NAPA Auto Parts, Ford Mustang

“It was an interesting Race 2, a couple of safety cars but I got the win in the end but certainly not the way you hope to win one.

“Jackson [Rice] was fighting hard as you would expect from someone that close to the lead on the last lap, but a bit of contact coming into Turn 11 and then another incident on the straight was unfortunate but the racing is so close and competitive so we’ve got to be on our toes the entire weekend.

Jackson Rice, driver #37 Delatite-Ovens Ford, Ford Mustang

“It was a good race, I didn’t get a great start and fell back to fifth but we fought our way back through and made a couple of good moves and found ourselves in second on the last lap.

“I went for the lead and unfortunately got turned around, but that’s racing and we’ll come back tomorrow bigger and better. We’re enjoying it down here and fun, hard racing is what it’s all about.”