2018 TA2 Muscle Car Series champion Ashley Jarvis sat as high as fifth before being turned around in the final round of the American Trans-Am Series at Daytona International Speedway in mid-November.

The Gold Coaster reached a motorsport dream by racing at the world-famous Daytona road course in a round of the American Trans-Am Series in what was an opportunity presented to him as part of the prize pool for winning the TA2 Muscle Car Series in 2018.

Jarvis teamed up with leading American TA2 arrive-and-drive outfit Stevens-Miller Racing under the guidance of professional sports car racer Marc Miller, a twice previous competitor in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He was also assisted by expat Australian Reece Richardson as one of the team’s mechanics.

Jarvis’ motorsport background consists of Midget Speedcars in Speedway, state-level Gemini and national Saloon Car racing, and also this year contested the Australian Production Car Series in a BMW M3 alongside his TA2 Muscle Car Series commitments.

The schedule of the race meeting saw one 30-minute practice session on Thursday, one 15-minute Qualifying session on Friday and one 65-minute race on Saturday for the 25-car field, completed in a single stint without pit stops.

A red-flag brought early in Qualifying saw Jarvis complete only two flying laps but put in a lap good enough for 13th position on his first visit to the circuit and his first drive in the American TA2-spec Camaro on the Pirelli radial tyre.

In a race that saw four caution periods, Jarvis charged through the field to sit in the top five after 16 laps and was lapping competitively against the series regulars, before he was turned around at Turn 1 by the #25 Chevrolet Camaro of Peter Klutt and finished 11 laps down in 20th position.

The race was won by Thomas Merrill in a Ford Mustang after a late-race battle with 16-year old NASCAR K&N Champion Sam Mayer as the pair swapped for the lead several times before a two-car incident on the front straight brought out a race-ending caution.

This arrangement continues the Australian TA2 series’ association with TA2 car constructer Howe Racing Enterprises and the Trans-Am Racing Company in the United States, which saw 2017 champion Russell Wright race at the Circuit of the Americas in 2018. This opportunity will also be presented to recently-crowned 2019 champion Aaron Seton.

The TA2 Muscle Car Series returns to the track at the Superloop Adelaide 500 on February 20-23.

QUOTES

Ashley Jarvis, driver #22 Lighthouse Electrical Chevrolet Camaro

“It’s been a lifelong dream finally realised, to race here at the world-famous Daytona Speedway,” said Ashley Jarvis.

“We started 13th and got as high as fifth, we were running really good and going as quick as we had all week.

“I started the weekend seven seconds a lap slower than the quick guys and worked on myself and the car every session to get within two seconds of the leader.

“I was being fairly conservative in the first few laps on cold tyres and full fuel. We also made a setup change so was easing my way into the race.

“It was crazy out there, there were guys wrecking left, right and centre so we were keeping to ourselves and unfortunately some contact took us out of the race.

“We’re still really happy, we were doing so well and we were up to fifth before we were taken out but still super happy to have the opportunity to race here.”

Reigning TA2 Muscle Car Series Champion Ashley Jarvis will head to the United States of America to race in the final round of the US Trans-Am Series at the Daytona International Speedway on November 14-16.

The Gold Coaster will race for leading American TA2 outfit Stevens-Miller Racing in what was an opportunity presented to him as a prize pool of winning the TA2 Muscle Car Series last year.

This continues the Australian TA2 series’ association with the Trans-Am Racing Company in the United States, which saw 2017 champion Russell Wright venture to the United States to race in the penultimate round of the series at the Circuit of the Americas.

The opportunity to go and race in America is part of a prize pool which sees the drive partially funded by the series to the winner of the series. Stevens Miller Racing are a professional arrive-and-drive outfit in the TA2 series, with lease arrangements available to race at America’s leading race tracks throughout the year.

The program for a TA2 event in America consists of practice, qualifying and one 70-minute race. The series will race on the Daytona road course, the layout which utilises all four corners of the tri-oval as well as an infield section, as used in the 24 Hours of Daytona sports car race.

Jarvis won the 2018 TA2 Muscle Car Series in the Lighthouse Electrical backed Chevrolet Camaro with 10 race victories and 22 podiums, and currently sits third in the 2019 standings behind Aaron Seton and George Miedecke following Round 3 at The Bend Motorsport Park in June.

Jarvis’ motorsport background consists of Midget Speedcars in Speedway, state-level Gemini and national Saloon Car racing, and is also this year contesting the Australian Production Car Series in a BMW M3 alongside his TA2 Muscle Car Series commitments.

The TA2 Muscle Car Series next heads to Winton Motor Raceway for Round 4 on August 16-18.

QUOTES

Ashley Jarvis, Driver #22 Lighthouse Electrical Chevrolet Camaro

“I was presented with the opportunity to choose to race at Indianapolis, Watkins Glen, and Daytona, but for me Daytona was a no-brainer after growing up as a kid playing the Daytona USA arcade games at the cinemas, the chance to go and race there in real life is incredible.”

“I’ll only have one 70 minute race compared to our four 20-minute sprint races we have in the Australian series, so that will require a different approach to the weekend.

“The whole idea is to go there, soak it up and and enjoy the experience of racing at one of the world’s greatest venues of racing, and if we can go there and be semi-competitive that would be an added bonus.

“I’ve been doing a lot of Production Car racing this year, so i feel that will hold me in good stead for for this race at Daytona.

“We’ve been planning this trip all year, the whole family are coming and we’re going to arrive a week early and check out some of the sights of Florida.”

The 2020 Superloop Adelaide 500 has finalised its strong racing schedule with the TA2 Muscle Car Series set to make its Australian street circuit debut at the iconic Adelaide Street Circuit in February next year.

In a deal struck between the TA2 Muscle Car Series, the Australian Racing Group and Events South Australia, 24 TA2 machines will compete in the category’s first-ever street race in Australia.

The large field of TA2 cars will be made up of Mustang, Camaro and Dodge Challenger muscle cars, featuring driving talent such as 20-year old third-generation racer Aaron Seton, former Super2 racer George Miedecke, 17-year-old Formula Ford state champion Nathan Herne, former TA2 series champions Ashley Jarvis and Russell Wright, three-time Australian Nascar Champion George Elliot and Adelaide sprint car driver Craig Vanderstelt.

The Superloop Adelaide 500 General Manager Alistair MacDonald believes the latest addition to the on track line-up further cements the event as Australia’s premier domestic motorsport event.

“We are delighted to host the TA2 Muscle Car Series at our event in 2020, more importantly as their first ever street circuit outing in Australia,” said MacDonald.

“The on track racing line-up is stronger than ever with a quality range of support categories, appealing to all motorsport enthusiasts and event goers.”

While TA2 Muscle Car Series Manager Craig Denyer is thrilled to have secured this agreement for the Superloop Adelaide 500 in 2020.

“This event is a major turning point for TA2 which has grown incredibly quickly in just two seasons as a national series," said Denyer.

"The Superloop Adelaide 500 is the benchmark when it comes to fan engagement and our teams and drivers can’t wait to perform on the national stage and show everyone just how great the TA2 Muscle Car Series really is.”

Australian Racing Group Director Matt Braid is pleased to have negotiated a place for the TA2 Muscle Car Series on the 2020 Superloop Adelaide 500 bill.

“This will be TA2’s biggest event that they have competed at, and the real winners are going to be the fans. They are modern, popular muscle cars that make all of the right sounds,” said Braid.

“The racing will be close too. There are a number of really great drivers who will line-up on the TA2 grid next year, and we know they are going to put on a great spectacle for the Adelaide race-goers.”

TA2 has competed in Australia for the past two years and is pitched as a low cost, modern muscle car series.

20-year old Aaron Seton won the 2019 TA2 Muscle Car Series in dramatic fashion at Queensland Raceway last weekend. After crashing out of Race 2 on Saturday, the Castrol Harris Racing team lead by two-time Australian Touring Car champion Glenn Seton repaired the car overnight for Aaron to finish the remaining races in second and score enough points to secure the title and the Performax Cup.

The class caters for modern V8-powered, rear-wheel drive muscle cars in a purpose-built Howe Racing Enterprises space frame chassis and a Howe Motorsport engine package developing 525 horsepower. All elements are controlled to ensure a level playing field across the board for great racing.

The announcement of TA2 completes the on-track line up for the 2020 event which will be headlined by the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship and supported by the ever-popular Dunlop Super2 Series, Porsche Carrera Cup, Touring Car Masters, and the return of the Stadium Super Trucks.

The 2020 Superloop Adelaide 500 will take place on February 20 - February 23, 2020. For more information and tickets visit www.superloopadl500.com.au

20-year old third-generation racer Aaron Seton has won the 2019 TA2 Muscle Car Series in dramatic fashion following a mammoth overnight repair job by the Castrol Harris Racing team led by two-time Australian Touring Car Champion Glenn Seton.

Following a green-to-chequered victory in Race 1, Seton’s Mustang was significantly damaged after he spun around exiting Turn 1 off the start in Race 2 in twilight conditions on Saturday evening and was collected by Andrew Miedecke’s Dodge Challenger who was unsighted in the cloud of dust.

The race was postponed by race officials due to fading light and restarted at 8:30am on Sunday.

The Castrol Harris Racing team worked until 2:00am this morning with the assistance of many other TA2 Muscle Car Series teams.

Starting first on the restart of Race 2, Seton dropped to second behind 17-year old former Formula Ford racer Nathan Herne, as the Gulf Western Oils Dodge driver fended off Seton to win the final three races of the weekend to score his first round victory of the season.

Seton only had to finish the final race of the weekend to secure his second national circuit racing title after he won Class B of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge in 2015.

Remarkably, Seton took the chequered flag in the final race with a flat tyre.

Former GT, V8 Ute and Super2 Series racer George Miedecke finished the season 52 points behind Seton in second, with reigning champion Ashley Jarvis a further 86 points behind in third.

Entering the round in eighth position in the championship, Herne’s successful weekend catapulted him to fourth in the Performax Cup standings. He and Kubota Racing’s Hugh McAlister finished tied on points with Herne retaining the position by count back on race wins.

Queenslander Murray Kent finished sixth in the championship ahead of inaugural series champion Russell Wright, who scored his second consecutive victory in the Circo Master Class ahead of Bill Robinson and Mark Crutcher.

The final round of the 2019 TA2 Muscle Car Series will be broadcast on Fox Sports 506 on Monday the 18th of November at 2:45pm (AEDT), and also on Thursday the 21st of November at 6:30pm (AEDT). It will also be simulcast free on the Blend Line TV Facebook page.

QUOTES Aaron Seton, driver #88 Castrol Harris Racing Ford Mustang

“It feels so special to be crowned the 2019 TA2 Muscle Car Series champion and to be standing here holding up the Perfomax Cup,” said Aaron Seton.

“Yesterday was a crazy rollercoaster ride of emotions.

“It was pretty hard at the time but i’m very lucky to be supported by an incredible team behind me in Castrol Harris Racing and also the whole TA2 community for pitching in to repair the car overnight to get me back out on track today.

“I can’t thank Craig Harris and the Harris Family enough for the opportunity to drive their car this season.

“We’re a small family team and thanks to my Dad Glenn, Chris Topp, Don Dimitriadis, Mick Benton and everyone involved behind the scenes in making this championship come to fruition.”

TA2 Muscle Car Series leader Aaron Seton is under pressure to repair his car overnight following an incident involving three cars in Race 2 at Queensland Raceway this evening.

Earlier in the day, the 20-year old Castrol Harris Racing driver lowered the qualifying record around Queensland Raceway to a blistering 1:12.5815 to score his fifth PWR Pole Award from six rounds, and went on to take a convincing green-to-chequered win in Race 1 ahead of 17-year old former Formula Ford racer Nathan Herne in the Gulf Western Oils Dodge Challenger.

The race commenced under twilight conditions at 6:00pm at Queensland Raceway. Seton lead Herne through Turn 1 before he lost the rear of his Mustang and spun around. As the field rushed through the cloud of dust in avoidance he was collected by Andrew Miedecke’s Ram Trucks Port Macquarie Dodge Challenger with significant damage to both vehicles. TA2 Masters class racer Russell Wright also collected Seton’s car but escaped with only a flat tyre and a broken rim.

The 15-lap race twilight race was cancelled following the incident to retrieve the cars, before both Seton and Miedecke were cleared of any injury by the circuit medical centre. The race has been postponed and will be restarted as the first race on the schedule at 8:30am on Sunday morning.

Seton’s closest championship rival George Miedecke finished fourth in Race 1, with Seton (on 1122 points) holding a 46 point lead over the Lubrimaxx/Miedecke Motor Group racer (on 1076 points).

The Castrol Harris Racing team, lead by two-time Australian Touring Car Champion and Aaron’s father Glenn Seton has already retrieved the car and begun the process of repairing the chassis and the front end of the vehicle to ensure it returns for track action tomorrow.

QUOTES Aaron Seton, driver #88 Castrol Harris Racing Ford Mustang

“I made a mistake coming out of Turn 1 and unfortunately it has ended our race,” said Aaron Seton.

“Fortunately I have the best team in pit lane behind me in Castrol Harris Racing so hopefully we can get back out there tomorrow and fight for the championship.”