TOURING Car Masters from Australia and New Zealand will go head-to-head at Mount Panorama later this year.
As many as 12 New Zealand-based cars will head across the Tasman to contest the final two rounds of the 2023 Australian TCM season, the Bathurst International (November 10-12) and Adelaide 500 (November 23-26).
“We’ve worked for a long time to get our Kiwi cousins back to Australia and it’s great that we’ve been able to make it happen,” said category administrator Graham Sattler.
“They’re a great group of people and have worked really hard to grow TCM New Zealand in the last few years, even during the pandemic.
“Everyone is excited to have them join our field this November for what are going to be two of the largest Touring Car Masters events in the last five years.
“There’s huge excitement from both sides of the Tasman to make this a success and we can’t wait to welcome them to Australia this year.”
Among the Kiwi drivers confirmed for the Bathurst/Adelaide double are Tony Galbraith (Charger), Hugh Gairdner (Pontiac Trans Am), Nick Ross (Dodge Challenger), Dennis Lovegrove (Trans Am), and Greg Cuttance in a Dick Johnson Racing tribute entry.
Andrew Anderson will be behind the wheel of his Pinepac XE Falcon, which was recently raced by Jett Johnson, while Andrew’s son Nathan will steer his grandfather Bruce’s 1969 Ford Mustang.
“Everyone here is really pumped, especially as we have just come to the conclusion of our 2022/23 season and how we have grown from 2020, from nothing,” said TCM New Zealand category administrator Sharon Cuttance.
“There’s a group of people very eager to get to Australia and to go to Bathurst, some for the first time but some for their second or third trip.
“It’s even more special then going down to Adelaide for the VAILO Adelaide 500, which is one of the largest motorsport events in this part of the world.
“Many of our competitors have never raced on a street circuit so it’s going to be an exciting adventure for a lot of people.”
The Australian TCM series resumes with Round 3 at Winton on June 9-11.