Aaron Seton continued his series dominance by taking pole position and two race wins on the opening day of action at Round 2 of the TA2 Muscle Car Series at Morgan Park today.

Seton’s Harris Racing Mustang time of 1.15.6 was over a second clear of George Miedecke with Russell Wright’s Mustang in third.

Reigning champ Ashley Jarvis was fourth ahead of 16 year old Nathan Herne, with Michael Kulig’s fully rebuilt Camaro and Drew Ridge’s Mustang making the Top 10.

Seton came under pressure early in Race 1 from Miedecke, however the safety car was called after Warren Wadley spun at Turn 12 and wouldn’t fire up.  On the restart, Seton gapped the field and was never headed.

Herne and Ridge had a great race, going side by side through Turn 6 with the Dodge Challenger racer hanging on to finish strongly.

“We tested here last week and the Castrol Harris Mustang is really in the zone today,” Seton explained.

“Miedecke pressured me early however when the tyre pressures came on I was able to control the pace.”

Race 2 was marred by a massive crash involving Mustang driver Tim Tritton, when his car stepped out under the bridge at Turn 3 and slammed hard into the outside tyre wall.

Tritton wasn’t hurt, although the car was seriously damaged. A safety car was deployed while officials cleaned up the mess, which left a three-lap sprint to the flag.

“I’m ok, just a bit bruised and not sure what happened, but the car just stepped out on me over the hill,” said Tritton.

“It looks pretty sad, but we will take it back to the workshop and strip it down and see how bad it is. These cars just proved how strong they are and although it’s heavily damaged, I’m fine.”

Front-runner Drew Ridge in the Ikon Signs Mustang suffered an alternator failure while under safety car and stopped on track, and Anthony Tenkate’s Mustang spun at Turn 6 on the final laps and failed to finish due to a flat tyre.

Cam Sendall had a strong run to 11^th while newcomer Christopher Formosa in the Dukes of Hazzard General Lee lookalike claimed a respectable 14^th in his first TA2 run.

Race 3 and 4 will be live streamed tomorrow via the AMRS Website and Blend Line TV.

The entry list features the debut of Super Utes racer Christopher Formosa in the Allgate Motorsport Dodge Challenger. Prepared at the Ross Stone Racing workshop in the lead up to their debut, the team revealed their livery as a nod to General Lee, the 1969 Dodge Charger made famous in the Dukes of Hazzard television series. 

A relative newcomer to circuit racing, Formosa looks forward to the challenge presented by the growing TA2 Muscle Car Series.

“We’re so excited to join the TA2 Muscle Car Series in the Allgate Motorsport Dodge Challenger,” said Formosa.

“We have been keeping a close eye on the series for a while and thought now was a great time to get involved.

“It’s not hard to see why the series has grown so quickly. The cars are loud, fast and sideways, not to mention an affordable and strictly-controlled formula.

“The response so far has been amazing so we’re looking forward to getting up to Morgan Park and hitting the track for the first time.”

The team have purchased the car formerly driven by Scott Textor. While Textor will not return to the track for the 2019 series, he has retained involvement in the class with sponsorship from Hytek Steel Framing.

It will be the second consecutive 25 strong entry following on from a breakout season opener at Sydney Motorsport Park. Victorian racer Simon Tabinor and Queenslander Greg Willis have not backed up from the opening round, while the series welcomes back Sunshine Coast racer David Falvey in a Chevrolet Camaro as well as the debut of the Allgate Motorsport Challenger. 

Third-generation racer Aaron Seton claimed three out of four race wins to claim the season opener at Sydney Motorsport Park, and holds a four point lead in the Performax Cup standings over other Sydney race-winner George Miedecke, with defending series champion Ashley Jarvis a further 13 points behind.

Michael Kulig has had a race against time to repair the Kulig Engineering Camaro after a major hit at Turn 1 during practice for the first round of the series at Sydney Motorsport Park. The car was completely stripped and rebuilt around a new chassis in just four weeks, while Tim Tritton and Chris La Rosa’s Mustangs were also repaired after first round clashes.

It will be the first championship round held at the Warwick, Queensland circuit as the 2.967km track hosts the second round of the AMRS.

ENTRY LIST - 2019 TA2 Muscle Car Series Round 2 - Morgan Park Raceway (April 5-7)

#3 - Drew Ridge (NSW), Ford Mustang - ikon Signs #4 - Mark Crutcher (NSW), Dodge Challenger - Crutcher Developments #5 - Matthew Mackelden (NSW), Ford Mustang - Kubota Racing #6 - Hugh McAlister (NSW), Ford Mustang - Kubota Racing #7 - Michael Kulig (QLD), Chevrolet Camaro - Kulig Engineering #10 - Peter Robinson (QLD), Dodge Challenger - Morgans Investment Consultants #14 - Cameron Sendall (QLD), Chevrolet Camaro - Caddy Storage #15 - David Falvey (QLD), Chevrolet Camaro - Thunder Road Racing Team Australia #18 - Shaun Richardson (QLD), Ford Mustang - Road Rage Australia #20 - Darren Berry (QLD), Chevrolet Camaro - Tooth Booth Dentists #22 - Ashley Jarvis (QLD), Chevrolet Camaro - Lighthouse Electrical #28 - Tim Tritton (QLD), Ford Mustang - Everyday Finance Solutions #29 - Nathan Herne (NSW), Dodge Challenger - Gulf Western Oils #33 - Chris La Rosa (NSW), Ford Mustang - Team Natcorp #35 - George Miedecke (NSW), Ford Mustang - Miedecke Motorsport #49 - Christopher Formosa (NSW), Dodge Challenger - Allgate Motorsport #55 - Russell Wright (QLD), Ford Mustang - RoadBees Transport #69 - Anthony Tenkate (QLD), Ford Mustang - Tenkate Plant Hire #74 - Murray Kent (QLD), Chevrolet Camaro - Underground Civil Supplies #77 - Bill Robinson (NSW), Ford Mustang - Elite Smash Repairs Erina #88 - Aaron Seton (QLD), Ford Mustang - Castrol Harris Racing #95 - Andrew Miedecke (NSW), Dodge Challenger - Ram Trucks Port Macquarie #111 - George Elliot (VIC), Chevrolet Camaro - Dream Racing Australia #777 - Craig Scutella (VIC), Chevrolet Camaro - Dream Racing Australia #888 - Warren Wadley (QLD), Ford Mustang - Wadley Motorsport

Third-generation racer Aaron Seton claimed three out of four race wins to lead the TA2 Muscle Car Series following the first round held at Sydney Motorsport Park.

Watched on by Grandfather and 1965 Bathurst 500 winner Bo, and 2x ATCC championship winning father Glen, Seton set a high benchmark after he won race three, fending off former Super 2 and Australian GT racer George Miedecke in a battle that saw Miedecke close the gap late in the race as tyre strategy came into play. Miedecke caught but could not pass Seton as the Castrol Harris Racing Mustang won by 0.1764, the closest finish in TA2 Muscle Car Series history.

Defending series champion Ashley Jarvis climbed two spots to third, as Andrew Miedecke and Kubota Racing's Hugh McAlister completed the top five.

Race three also saw race-long battles between Hugh McAlister, Russell Wright and Murray Kent, while 16-year old TA2 debutante Nathan Herne fell back to eighth from third as he struggled for tyre grip following a setup change, as Drew Ridge and Simon Tabinor completed the top ten.

George Miedecke kept the pressure on Seton in the early phase of race four, before on lap four Seton spun around on his own at turn five. He quickly recovered, however Miedecke and Jarvis had slipped through, and despite setting the fastest lap, Seton had to settle for third at the flag.

Veteran Russell Wright had a strong run to fourth outright, passing both Andrew Miedecke’s Dodge Challenger and Hugh McAlister’s Mustang, while Kent finished eighth ahead of Ridge and Anthony Tenkate in tenth.

One of nine series debutants, Matthew MacKelden failed to take the rolling start due to a broken wheel stud, but put in a demon drive from last on the grid to finish seventh outright in the final race and received the Hypercoil Hard Charger Award for his efforts in the Kubota Racing Mustang.

Nathan Herne called to the pits early with suspected fuel pump failure ending what had been a strong weekend for the Lismore driver in the Gulf Western Oils Dodge Challenger.

“It was an weekend for us at Castrol Harris Racing this weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park,” said Seton.

“It means a great deal to me to have won the first round of the series with the new drivers that have joined in.

“George Miedecke and Ashley Jarvis pushed me all weekend, George especially was on my backside for the whole weekend.

“I really enjoyed the level of racing in TA2 this weekend, and the longer races we had are really fun and a great test of skill in these cars.”

“I’d like to thank Craig Harris from Castrol Harris Racing and also Don Dimitriadis from Thunder Road Racing Team Australia for their support this weekend, I genuinely wouldn’t be here without them.”

George Miedecke picked up the Rookie of the Round Award for the highest placed first-year driver, Russell Wright won the Masters Award for the best placed driver over 50 years of age and Murray Kent claimed the Wilwood Big Braker Award for a strong showing in all races.

Seton’s third place in the final was enough to secure the round win and now leads the Performax Cup by just four points from George Miedecke, with Ashley Jarvis a further three points behind.

Round two of the 2019 TA2 Muscle Car Series heads to Morgan Park in Queensland on April 5-7.

2019 TA2 Muscle Car Series Pointscore

1st: Aaron Seton - 215 2nd: George Miedecke - 211 3rd: Ashley Jarvis - 198 4th: Andrew Miedecke - 196 5th: Russell Wright - 190

20-year old Aaron Seton has continued his strong form from 2018 to dominate the opening day of the 2019 TA2 Muscle Car Series at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The Castrol Harris Racing Mustang driver scored his sixth straight pole position, with a new track record at a 1:33.5437, over seven-tenths of a second ahead of George Miedecke, who joined Seton on the front row in the Miedecke Motorsport Ford Mustang.

The opening race saw a length safety-car period from lap three as a result of Tim Tritton coming unstuck on the exit of turn five, and Chris La Rosa who spun off the track on the exit of turn eight hairpin after battling early with George Elliot. Tritton and La Rosa have withdrawn from the weekend following these seperate incidents.

The race resumed with two laps remaining, as Seton fended off George Miedecke to take the win by less than a second, Australian racing stalwart and series debutant Andrew Miedecke withstood a strong charge from reigning Victorian and New South Wales Formula Ford champion Nathan Herne in a race-long stows to finish third, as reigning TA2 Performax Cup champion Ashley Jarvis complete the top five.

Race two ran green for the full distance, as Seton was pressured by George Miedecke again throughout the race but ultimately prevailed by two seconds as tyre management and lapped traffic played a factor.

Herne staged a great move on Andrew Miedecke at turn one to jump to third on lap two, and also claimed the fastest lap of the race at a 1:36.41.

The battle of the race saw Ashley Jarvis withstand waves of attacks from Russell Wright and Hugh McAlister for fifth spot over Russell Wright and Hugh McAlister, with great battles enjoyed throughout the field that now sits at 22 cars.

Murray Kent scored his personal best TA2 result in eighth, from Drew Ridge and Kubota Racing driver Matt MacKelden to complete the top ten at the end of race two.

Seton was happy to start of the year on the right foot, and acknowledged the lift in competition and presentation of the series.

“It was an awesome day for us at Castrol Harris Racing collecting pole and both race wins to start the year off well,” said Seton.

“The car was incredible to drive and everything came together for that qualifying lap this morning, combined with parts of the circuit that were recently resurfaced, a lot of factors also came in to play.

“I really enjoyed racing hard with George Miedecke and Nathan Herne in the second race as they pushed me all the way to the end.

“It’s also great to welcome so many new drivers to the series this year, we have 25 here this weekend and the racing has been awesome so far.

“We’ll make some small improvements overnight and hope to build on our results tomorrow.

“Thanks as always to Craig Harris from Castrol Harris Racing and Don Dimitriadis for their support as I wouldn’t be here without them.”

The TA2 Muscle Car Series returns to Sydney Motorsport Park for races three and four on Sunday.