The Trans-Tasman rivalry will step up a gear on the Touring Car Masters stage at two of the most famous tracks in the world later this year.
In what has been billed as the Trans-Tasman battle of the Muscle Cars, the Australian and New Zealand Touring Car Masters series will race at Mount Panorama and the Adelaide Street Circuit.
The New Zealand series will travel to Australia to join the local stars in the latter’s final two events of the year, the Supercheap Auto Bathurst International and VAILO Adelaide 500.
This is not the first time the Aussie and Kiwi series have joined forces, having done a similar Trans-Tasman contest at the 2016 and 2019 Bathurst 1000 events.
Angus Fogg was a dominant force when the Kiwi and Aussie Touring Car Masters series combined in 2019.
On the latest occasion Australia’s Steven Johnson and New Zealand’s Angus Fogg shared the wins across the three races. Johnson has started the 2023 season in commanding fashion with five wins from six races.
With up to a dozen cars expected to arrive from New Zealand, the Touring Car Masters field should double in size after just nine and 12 cars raced at the Tasmania and Newcastle rounds respectively.
Part of the New Zealand field features Greg Cuttance, who drives a Dick Johnson Racing Palmer Tube Mills Falcon tribute entry and he will be able to race against Dick’s son Steven, who is the dominant force in his BRUT Mustang.
Another driver with Bathurst links is Nathan Anderson, who will steer his grandad Bruce’s 1969 Ford Mustang.
The New Zealand Touring Car Masters category will return to Australia this year.
His father Andrew Anderson will also be in action, while Tony Galbraith (Charger), Hugh Gairdner (Pontiac Trans Am), Nick Ross (Dodge Challenger) and Dennis Lovegrove (Trans-Am) have already been confirmed to take on the challenge.
Not only Johnson, but the likes of John Bowe (Torana), Ryan Hansford (Torana), Cameron Tilley (Valiant Pacer) and Andrew Fisher (Torana) will ensure the locals have plenty of home heroes to cheer for.
Touring Car Masters category administrator Graham Sattler said the locals are excited to bring the Kiwis back to their home turf after years of trying.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Steven Johnson has dominated the start of the 2023 Touring Car Masters season. Image: Daniel Kalisz Photographer
Touring Car Masters New Zealand category administrator Sharon Cuttance said the Kiwi drivers are determined to make an impact on Australian soil.
“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.
“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.”
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