TA2 Racing Australia is proud to announce an extension of the agreement for Queensland based PBR Distributions to remain the exclusive dealer for Howe Racing Enterprises in Australia and New Zealand.

The announcement confirms the long-term future of the PBR same-spec cars currently used in the TA2 Muscle Car series, and will provide stable regulations for current and future competitors with continued support through spare parts and servicing.

Howe Racing Enterprises initially became the exclusive Australian supplier on a five-year deal in 2016 with PBR principal Peter Robinson, who was responsible for setting up and developing the same-spec platform in Australia and New Zealand.

The latest renewal is set for a further five years with an option for another five years following.

Over 50 PBR spec cars have now been sold in Australia, and Howe Racing Enterprises president Chas Howe has praised the efforts of the PBR management team in developing the formula in Australia from the ground up, and was only too enthusiastic to extend his support for Australian TA2 down under.

PBR Distributions’ association with Howe Racing Enterprises has extended to an international driver exchange program that has given Australian TA2 Series Champions the chance to race between Australia and America.

Dual American TA2 champion Gar Robinson joined Australian TA2 racers at Mount Panorama in 2017 and 2018, while inaugural Australian series winner Russell Wright and 2018 champion Ashley Jarvis raced in Trans-Am events at Circuit of the Americas and Daytona International Speedway respectively in previous years.

Peter Robinson’s efforts are now focussed on developing the international profile of the series in New Zealand and the potential for a number of Trans-Tasman events,  plus increasing ties with other Howe-affiliated same-specification platform Racers in many other countries.

Former Toyota 86 Series racer John McLaughlin leads the 2020 PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series following Round 1 at Winton in his Ford Mustang ahead of Camaro racers Murray Kent and Michael Kulig.

QUOTES

Chas Howe - President and CEO, Howe Racing Enterprises

“Peter Robinson has never failed to deliver on any commitment to Howe, and PBR has exceeded by far all of the requirements of our 2016 agreement; extending the deal is a no-brainer,” said Chas Howe.

“It is easy now to jump on the ship, but the launching of the category in Australia required vision and a considerable investment.”

“Cost-containment and maintaining stable regulations is a constant challenge for any racing category, but Peter has the vision and discipline for the task and has done a phenomenal job.”

Peter Robinson - Executive Director,  PBR Distributions

“PBR Distributions are pumped to announce that Howe Racing Enterprises has extended the Australia/NZ exclusive Howe dealership arrangement for a further five years, with right of renewal for a further five years beyond that,” said Peter Robinson.

“Our independent TA2 Muscle Car Series has gained huge interest since its inception with the recent sale of the 50^th car in Australia.

“Our TA2 Technical Manager Cameron Sendall is in constant communication with component manufacturers in the USA to give feedback on our research and development.

“This information is gained from every PBR TA2 car having the same equipment and our exposure to supporting these vehicles for our members. The findings are shared amongst the 12 other countries in the world who also race their version of the same-spec Howe platform.

“Howe Racing has also cemented a deal with McLaren Engineering in the USA (part of the Linamar Group) as the engine builder and supplier for our TA2 Racing Australia cars as well as many other countries, again exclusive to Howe Racing.

“Our intention is to grow the series across the Tasman, and are nearing final negotiations with likeminded Kiwis to up hold our rock solid mandate to run the series independently and keep the cost of racing low and ownership within New Zealand. In other words, owned by New Zealanders for New Zealanders.”

The PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series has welcomed the arrival of the 50th TA2 car in Australia.

PBR Distributions, the official vehicle and component supplier for TA2 in Australia confirmed the 50th car in Australia is a Chevrolet Camaro headed for Victorian first-time circuit racer John Holinger (Pictured with TA2 Muscle Car Series Technical Manager Cameron Sendall).

The first TA2 car landed in Australia in October 2015 when Peter Robinson purchased the initial car from Howe Racing Enterprises built to what has become the Australian TA2 PBR specification.

In amongst the 50 cars in Australia includes two cars which have since been sold to New Zealand for the development of the NZV8TA2 Series, using the exact same specification as raced in Australia.

The inaugural series was held in 2017 between Queensland Raceway and Lakeside Park, before the series expanded in to its first national calendar in 2018 including a round at the Muscle Car Masters in Sydney and rounds supporting the AMRS at Winton, Wakefield Park and Sydney Motorsport Park.

TA2 cars have also raced in the Combined Sedans support category at the Bathurst 12 Hour since 2017, which saw dual American TA2 champion Gar Robinson venture down under to demonstrate the Australian TA2 car.

2019 saw further expansion with consistent 25-car grids for the whole season and a record 32-cars lining up for the final round at Queensland Raceway when rising star Aaron Seton won the championship in the Castrol Harris Racing Ford Mustang.

TA2 Muscle Car Series manager Craig Denyer credited the TA2 formula in its low-cost, same-specification platform to the impressive growth of the series in Australia.

Former Toyota 86 Series racer John McLaughlin leads the 2020 PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series following Round 1 at Winton in the myraceprofile.com Ford Mustang ahead of Camaro racers Murray Kent and Michael Kulig.

QUOTES Craig Denyer - TA2 Muscle Car Series Manager

“It’s terrific to witness the handover of the 50th TA2 car in Australia,” said Craig Denyer.

“The PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series has welcomed racers from a variety of backgrounds, from seasoned veterans of the sport like Andrew Miedecke and Russell Wright, rising stars Aaron Seton and Nathan Herne making their names in the sport, but also those brand-new to racing.

“It’s great to see the 50th car go to a first-time circuit racer in John Holinger.

“For a series that grew out of one car at a club-level in Queensland, the growth of these cars in Australia really comes down to the widespread appeal of the formula and the control of the technical regulations to sustain it.

“It really is a back-to-basics approach to providing an appealing racing series, with a modern high-performance racing platform and all the technology and safety that comes with that, combined with a focus on cost control, close competition and entertainment for the fans.

Dayna Bullock - Office Manager, PBR Distributions

“It has been great to witness and build in the success of the TA2 formula in Australia from the very beginning as the official vehicle and component supplier,” said Dayna Bullock.

“PBR Distributions is proud to support the PROMAXX Performance Exhausts TA2 Muscle Car Series on race day with our official spare parts and support trailer attending every championship round.

“The philosophy of the series from the very beginning was that it allows racers to use their skill behind the wheel rather than the money spent on their car to stand out on track, but also to race in a friendly-environment that was appealing and achievable for the amateur racer.

“With a new partnership with the BNT V8 Series in New Zealand building quickly and continuing discussions with TA2 organisations globally, the future of the category is very bright.”

John Holinger, owner of 50th TA2 car in Australia

“I’ve done a bit of motorcross in the past but nothing like this in circuit racing,” said John Holinger.

“I’ve seen these running around the tracks in Victoria and was immediately interested in them and looked into them after that.

“I’ve certainly not got any expectations but we’ll just take it easy to start with and learn as much as I can.”

QUOTESCraig Denyer, TA2 Muscle Car Series Manager “All our competitors have expressed keen interest to go racing again and we are excited to release this revised calendar that provides great events with premier exposure at minimal cost,” said Craig Denyer. “While state border lockdowns have limited the opportunities of where we can race in the short term, the AMRS has come up with a calendar that’s easy and central to all eastern states which will help ease everyone back in to racing and minimise the need for the expense of major long-distance travel. “It’s great to have Tailem Bend as a grand finale, as it’s a brilliant and fast track which really suits the TA2 Muscle Cars as we saw when our drivers loved competing there last year. “Together with the inaugural Bathurst 100 at Mt Panorama in November, all the events give our competitors great variety while keeping travel and accommodation costs to a minimum. "New car sales have also stepped up well in the past few weeks and we have a container arriving in the next week with another three new cars on board taking us towards 50 cars in Australia.”

NZV8TA2 racing is coming to New Zealand, with the announcement today from NZ Touring Cars Ltd that the BNT V8s Championship will adopt the popular class and is set to become the BNT NZV8TA2 Championship.

The first two chassis’ have arrived in the country being a Mustang bodied TA2 as well as a Camaro bodied version. Two current competition cars from Australia were also in New Zealand for demonstration purposes; those being a Challenger bodied TA2 as well as a two-seater Camaro.

A further shipment of another four cars is currently being shipped to New Zealand, with another eight scheduled to go into production shortly.

Hailing from the US, and a successful racing class in multiple global regions, the NZV8TA2 category is based on a relevant, practical and purposeful racing platform that highlights driver talent and promotes close competition.

Designed and built by Howe Racing Enterprises in the United States, the class formula is based on a cost-effective platform, combining a purpose-built racing chassis and a 525 horsepower V8 engine package.

“The NZ Touring Cars Ltd board and category management are delighted to introduce the all New NZV8TA2 Cars taking V8 Racing to a new era,” says BNT V8 Category Manager Gary Lathrope.

The category was due to launch the new platform this evening with a formal event at Hampton Downs, until the Corona Virus lockdown was announced earlier this week.

“It’s a shame; it just means our more formal launch plans have had to change and will be delayed slightly. We had over 50 people RSVP to attend the event - we look forward to re-inviting all of those people back to view the cars once these restrictions have been lifted, the well-being and health of everyone is imperative to us. We support the Government’s stand to try and stamp this virus out; there will be opportunities for us to re-launch when the time is right.”

“The cars have been a massive success in Australia, and we look forward to seeing that growth continue over on this side of the Tasman.”

“At 1250kg and over 525hp there is no other car that can compare to the performance of these cars in their price range. This formula allows drivers to use their skill behind the wheel, not the money spent on the engine.”

Designed to be a cost-effective platform for circuit racing in New Zealand, the space frame chassis features bolt-on front and rear crash structures for ease of repair in the event of a collision.

At the heart of the car will be a McLaren Engineering built 6.2L LS3 race engine developing 525hp at 6500rpm.

The cars feature a G-Force 4 speed transmission (with a controlled gearbox ratio), while the suspension set up consists of Penske single adjustable 7” shocks and a 2” front sway bar.

The cars will all run 15” Bassett steel wheels with Hoosier 3045 slick tyres.

“Over the past 18 months we have worked closely with Peter Robinson from PBR Distributions who owns the TA2 Racing Series in Australia, Peter’s passion and determination for this category to be introduced to New Zealand has been greatly appreciated.”

The announcement of the new class today will also see the New Zealand V8 series have closer ties with their Australian TA2 counterparts for trans-Tasman competition planned for the future.

“The New Zealand cars are built to the exact PBR Distributions specifications, so they are identical to the cars in Australia, which then opens a window for genuine trans-Tasman challenges between both countries.”

“With the huge popularity and growth in Australia with grids of over 40 cars, these modern-style sports coupes with the option of 3 different body styles represent amazing value.”

New Zealand and Australian distributor for TA2 cars, Peter Robinson of PBR Distributions says it is an exciting phase for domestic motorsport on both sides of the Tasman.

“It was approximately 18 months ago that I saw an advertisement on Facebook that the New Zealand BNT V8 Series posted about looking to update their cars and include the Mustang, Camaro and Challenger in their series,” said Peter Robinson.

“I contacted Mark Heimgartner from the New Zealand Touring Cars Ltd board and explained TA2 Australia’s vision of a five-year plan to bring our same spec TA2 formula to New Zealand and asked if there was any synergy between the two groups... and that’s how the talks kicked off. From there it was decided that the group behind the BNT V8’s would be the organisers and promoters of the series for TA2 cars in New Zealand.

“PBR are the exclusive dealers for Australia and NZ for the Howe same-spec TA2 cars, New Zealand supply will be direct from Howe Racing Enterprises in Michigan to Paul Manuell from Eastern Automotive & Performance who has been appointed as the importer and supporter of the race cars, sales, spares and servicing.

“The BNT NZV8TA2 Championship will use as much of the Australian technical rules and regulations as they can and tailor it to the New Zealand conditions, but the key here is that they will be the identical cars as we run in Australia, exactly the same specification and that’s something we are all really excited about.

“We have already had direct interest from New Zealand competitors wanting TA2 cars as well as through the BNT V8s Championship, and despite the small level of advertising we have done we already have a list of about 20 people with their hands in the air ready to buy one or more TA2 cars.”

Parts supply, component service and vehicle sales in New Zealand will be facilitated by Eastern Automotive Performance Centre owned by Paul Manuell and Michael Childs.

Manuell is no stranger to V8 racing in New Zealand, being a former national champion and more recently competing in the Thailand TA2 series in 2019 where he won the Championship.

“After testing & racing TA2 in Asia I knew this was the fix for New Zealand motorsport, this is absolutely where we need to head,” said Manuell.

“The NZ Touring Car Ltd board and myself started talking about introducing this class in February 2019, both coming to the conclusion that this would be a great step forward for New Zealand motorsport.”

“After winning the Asian TA2 championship momentum began to steamroll globally, and the TA2 word was out.”

Manuell says the initial interest from competitors has been strong.

“I’ve had just over 20 competitors reach out to me to register their interest in buying one, even before we’ve launched it, or they’ve even seen one in the flesh. Which is encouraging.”

“Once these community restrictions lift, I expect many of those to remain interested.”

Manuell says the cars will appeal to a wide range of competitors.

“Driving these cars is phenomenal. The tyre, grip, power is how I would equal a single-seater experience. 1250kg, 525hp, sticky tyres, light, fantastic brakes, and ease of control is motor racing at its best.”

“I am so passionate about these cars, the formula is spot on, the parity is the most perfect scenario for motorsport in this current era, and tuneability is also exactly where we need to be. This is a formula where you can run from your shed, carry out basic engineering changes that work without massive staffing and engineering budgets.”

“This is why the cars are so exciting. The drivers and fans alike are going to love it.”

Current cars competing in class one of the BNT V8s championship will remain competitive with this generation chassis. The category’s current parity tuning will be staying in effect.

Set to be eligible to for the start of the 2020/21 Championship season the new cars will be available for purchase as a turnkey package fully race prepared and ready to drive with a base set up. The car will also come with extra wheels, slick & wet tyres, a Racetech seat, Racetech harness and window net.

For pricing and sales enquiries contact Paul Manuell at Eastern Automotive and Performance - email: paul@eapc.co.nz - PH: 0274 966 003