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STRONG TRANS-AM FIELD FOR PENULTIMATE ROUND

Current Trans-Am leader Shannon O'Brien - Photo: Supplied

By Bruce Williams

Current Trans-Am leader Shannon O'Brien - Photo: Supplied

Current Trans-Am leader Shannon O’Brien – Photo: Supplied

THE PERFORMANCE Wheels Australian Trans-Am Series has reached the business end of the season, heading into the fifth and second-last round of the series at the annual Lakeside Classic this weekend.

A 15-car field will take on the fast and flowing Lakeside circuit, as the series welcomes back to the grid 5.0-litre racer Mark Bowtell in his Pontiac Firebird, and Sportsman Series Chev Camaro racers Michael Aldrick and Martin O’Kane as well as Colin Velt (Ford Mustang).

With 210 points on offer for the remaining two rounds, Shannon O’Brien and his Pontiac Firebird (366 points) currently leads the Trophy Series with a 50-point margin over Ian Palmer (Firebird), with Anthony Tenkate (Mustang) a further 72 points behind.

The three will fight it out for Trophy Series honours as the Chevrolet Camaro of John Samios (Camaro), Ian Woodward (Mustang) and previous round winner Brett Curran (Ford Mustang) will be notable absentees.

The Sportsman Series remains a two-horse race between New Zealander Tony Rutherford (in John English’s Mustang) and Daniel Fleming (Mustang), while the inclusion of Harry Charalambous (Ford Mustang) and series returnees Aldrick, O’Kane (in Camaros) and Velt (Mustang) will spice up the action.

The Five-Litre Classics Series will go all the way to the wire with only 30 points splitting current series leader Gareth Jones, Mike Collins and Ron Prefontaine, all in Mustangs. Round honours will also be contested by regulars Mark Bowtell (Firebird), Len Balme (Mercury Courgar) and Tricia Chant Chang).