Touring Car Masters battle to heat up in Darwin
The Touring Car Masters are heading up north and the title race will heat up under the Darwin sunshine at the Indigenous Round.
After an entertaining second round in Perth, Pro-Am racer Adam Garwood finds himself in the unfamiliar position of being the hunted in an expanded 16-car field for Hidden Valley.
Garwood’s VB Commodore leads both Pro-Am and Outright championships having broken through for a maiden round win at Wanneroo.
His 356-point total is 29 clear of next best Ryan Hansford, while in Pro Am the #2 Holden enjoys a 49-point advantage over Jamie Tilley.
Adam Garwood racing hard at Wanneroo. Image: James Smith
Hansford might lead Pro Master by 19 points over Joel Heinrich, but the Multispares Racing driver will be determined to overcome Garwood.
Heinrich will be keen to bounce back from a costly disqualification in race 3 at Perth, while Steven Johnson was off the pace and hopes his BRUT Mustang will be fully firing in the NT.
Johnson took two out of a possible three race wins to take the previous Touring Car Masters round in Darwin in 2018 to overcome the likes of Adam Bressington or John Bowe.
In Pro Sport the Holden Torana A9X of Peter Burnitt already enjoys an imposing 76 point lead over Josh Adams after few in the class headed west.
After 14 cars took part in round 2 at Wanneroo, 16 classic Touring Car Masters will roar around Hidden Valley Raceway.
Steven Johnson was dominant at Darwin last time out in 2018.
Running in the Invitational category will be Lance Hughes, who has made the journey from across the ditch in New Zealand to go racing in the Torana.
Former Queensland Speed Car champion Jeremy Hassell is taking on TCM for the first time and will do so in a Holden LH Torana.
Hassell will be one of two debutantes with Precision National Sports Sedan Series veteran Scott Cameron switching to Touring Car Masters by joining Whiteline Racing in the #85 1970 Chevrolet Camaro RS.
The Camaro RS that Scott Cameron will race in Touring Car Masters for Whiteline Racing
Joining Johnson of drivers who previously raced in 2018 are Andrew Fisher, Cameron Tilley, Tony Karanfilovski, Hansford and Jim Pollicina.
The usual format of a Trophy Race followed by three sprints will be on show for the second Touring Car Masters Supercars round followed by the Bathurst 500 opener.
It all begins with practice at 10.35 ACST on Friday.
Main image: James Smith
Touring Car Masters Darwin entry list
Car Driver Class
2 Adam Garwood Pro Am
3 Danny Buzadzic Pro Am
6 Ryan Hansford Pro Master
09 Andrew Fisher Pro Master
12 Peter Burnitt Pro Sport
33 Russell Hancock Pro Master
71 Marcus Zukanovic Pro Master
85 Scott Cameron Pro Master
88 Tony Karanfilovski Pro Am
95 Joel Heinrich Pro Master
7 Jim Pollicina Pro Am
78 Jeremy Hassell Pro Sport
184 Lance Hughes Invitational
65 Rod Cannon Pro Sport
29 Brad Tilley Pro Am
4 Allan Hughes Pro Sport
Touring Car Masters Darwin schedule (ACST)
Friday, June 14
10.35 Practice
13.30 Qualifying
16.05 Trophy Race
Saturday, June 15
08.55 Race 1
13.45 Race 2
Sunday, June 16
13.10 Race 3
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