TCR championship leader makes early statement
The Bathurst International is underway with TCR Australia championship leader Josh Buchan starting strong, while the Precision National Sports Sedan Series pecking order has been shaken up.
Under perfect blue and sunny skies the Bathurst International has begun with categories getting the opening practice sessions sorted.
Geoff Taunton has fired out of the gates in the Precision National Sports Sedan Series, being the only driver of the 16-car field to record a 2m07s time.
Taunton was on fire in his #95 MARC IRC GTSS car, being eight tenths faster than championship leader Peter Ingram.
Ingram’s Mazda RX7 was a further half a second clear of the Brad Shiels Fiat 124 Coupe.
Then there was almost 3s before next best Steve Tamasi in his Holden Calibra.
All drivers of the expanded 16-car field that offers plenty of variety from Holdens, Fords, Mazdas, Toyotas and Aston Martins got a handful of laps under their belt around the Mountain.
Josh Buchan at the TCR track to town last night. Image: TCR
Looking to be the first ever to record back to back TCR Australia titles is Buchan and he has started the deciding weekend on the front foot.
The #1 HMO Customer Racing i30N TCR was an ominous seven tenths faster than the rest of the field in P1.
Buchan’s 2:17.0924 was well clear of championship rival Zac Soutar.
The Tufflift Racing Audi was the only car within a second of Buchan.
Aaron Cameron showed form in his first drive of the Peugeot P51 308 TCR, putting it third just ahead of Dylan O’Keeffe’s Lynk & Co and Brad Harris’ Honda.
There are only 11 TCR cars at the season finale due to the late withdrawal of Tony D’Alberto.
D’Alberto and Honda’s factory backing are pulling out of TCR Australia at season’s end, but fans were robbed of a farewell of the 2022 champion and the Japanese brand.
Tony D’Alberto at Tasmania. Image: DMAC Photography
On the eve of the TCR Australia finale, D’Alberto announced on social media Sydney was his last round and would not compete at Mount Panorama.
“It comes with a heavy heart to announce that I won’t be racing at Bathurst this weekend,” D’Alberto wrote on social media.
“Our 2024 season has unfortunately come to an early end, due to the damage sustained at Sydney Motorsport Park.
“Meaning I have already driven my last TCR race. Having been in the series since its inception in 2019, I’ve enjoyed so many amazing moments over the journey with Honda Australia and Wall Racing, which included the ultimate prize of winning the 2022 series title.
“Thank you to all my sponsors who have been on this journey with me. I have loved racing in TCR Australia and wish the category all the best for the future.”
There was only one practice session for the Trans Am drivers and James Golding made a massive statement.
James Golding roaring through the Esses. Image: Trans Am
Golding topped the 20-minute session and his 2:11.7635 ended up 1.2s faster than Tim Brook and championship leader Todd Hazelwood.
Title contenders James Moffat and Jordan Boys were fifth and ninth respectively.
There was plenty of competitive tension in GT World Challenge Australia with not much separating the two Ferraris.
Jaxon Evans and Elliott Schutte ended up on top with a 2:02.9438, a tenth ahead of Chaz Mostert and Liam Talbot.
The next best behind the Ferraris were Brendon Leitch and Jayden Ojeda who were the only other drivers within half a second.
In the Radical Cup, Peter Paddon was also well ahead of the field enjoying a 1.45s advantage over next best Justin Tiigani.
There is still plenty of action to come from a busy weekend with a full schedule below.
Main Image: Mpix
Friday, 8 November
| Start | Finish | Category | Duration | Session |
| 7:00 | 7:15 | Commence Circuit Closure | 0:15:00 | |
| 7:15 | 7:20 | Circuit Closed | 0:05:00 | |
| 7:20 | 7:50 | Meguiar’s Australian Production Cars | 0:30:00 | Practice |
| 7:55 | 8:35 | Monochrome GT4 Australia | 0:40:00 | Practice 1 |
| 8:40 | 9:40 | Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia | 1:00:00 | Practice 1 |
| 9:45 | 10:05 | Precision National Sports Sedans | 0:20:00 | Practice 1 |
| 10:10 | 10:40 | First Focus Radical Cup Australia | 0:30:00 | Practice 1 |
| 10:45 | 11:15 | Trico Trans Am Series | 0:30:00 | Practice |
| 11:20 | 11:50 | Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series | 0:30:00 | Practice 1 |
| 11:55 | 12:05 | Commence Circuit Opening | 0:10:00 | |
| 12:05 | 12:45 | Residents Access | 0:40:00 | |
| 12:45 | 12:55 | Commence Circuit Closure | 0:10:00 | |
| 12:55 | 13:00 | Circuit Closed | 0:05:00 | |
| 13:00 | 13:40 | Monochrome GT4 Australia | 0:40:00 | Practice 2 |
| 13:45 | 14:05 | Precision National Sports Sedans | 0:20:00 | Practice 2 |
| 14:10 | 14:40 | First Focus Radical Cup Australia | 0:30:00 | Practice 2 |
| 14:45 | 15:05 | Trico Trans Am Series | 0:20:00 | Qualifying |
| 15:10 | 15:30 | Meguiar’s Australian Production Cars | 0:20:00 | Qualifying |
| 15:35 | 16:35 | Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia | 1:00:00 | Practice 2 |
| 16:40 | 17:10 | Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series | 0:30:00 | Practice 2 |
| 17:15 | 17:45 | First Focus Radical Cup Australia | 0:30:00 | Qualifying |
| 17:50 | 18:00 | Commence Circuit Opening | 0:10:00 | |
| 18:00 | Circuit Open |
Saturday, 9 November
| Start | Finish | Category | Duration | Session | |
| 7:00 | 7:10 | Commence Circuit Closure | 0:10:00 | ||
| 7:10 | 7:15 | Circuit Closed | 0:05:00 | ||
| 7:15 | 7:35 | Precision National Sports Sedans | 0:20:00 | Qualifying | |
| 7:40 | 7:50 | Monochrome GT4 Australia | 0:10:00 | Qualifying 1 | |
| 8:00 | 8:10 | Monochrome GT4 Australia | 0:10:00 | Qualifying 2 | |
| 8:15 | 8:35 | Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia | 0:20:00 | Qualifying 1 | |
| 8:40 | 9:00 | Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia | 0:20:00 | Qualifying 2 | |
| 9:10 | 9:25 | Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series | 0:15:00 | Qualifying 1 | |
| 9:30 | 9:40 | Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series | 0:10:00 | Qualifying 2 | |
| 9:50* | 10:40 | First Focus Radical Cup Australia | 0:50:00 | 10:37 + 1 lap | Race 1 |
| 10:45 | 10:55 | Commence Circuit Opening | 0:10:00 | ||
| 10:55 | 11:35 | Residents Access | 0:40:00 | ||
| 11:35 | 11:45 | Commence Circuit Closure | 0:10:00 | ||
| 11:45 | 11:50 | Circuit Closed | 0:05:00 | ||
| 11:50* | 12:30 | Trico Trans Am Series | 0:40:00 | 12:27 + 1 lap | Race 1 |
| 12:45* | 13:45 | Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia | 1:00:00 | 13:42 + 1 lap | Race 1 |
| 14:05* | 14:35 | Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series | 0:30:00 | 14:32 + 1 lap | Race 1 |
| 14:45* | 15:05 | Precision National Sports Sedans | 0:20:00 | 15:02 + 1 lap | Race 1 |
| 15:10* | 15:50 | Trico Trans Am Series | 0:40:00 | 15:47 + 1 lap | Race 2 |
| 16:00* | 16:30 | Meguiar’s Australian Production Cars | 0:30:00 | 16:27 + 1 lap | Race 1 |
| 16:45* | 17:45 | Monochrome GT4 Australia | 1:00:00 | 17:42 + 1 lap | Race 1 |
| 17:50 | 18:00 | Commence Circuit Opening | 0:10:00 | ||
| 18:00 | Circuit Open |
Sunday, 10 November
| Start | Finish | Category | Duration | Session | |
| 8:20 | 8:35 | Commence Circuit Closure | 0:15:00 | ||
| 8:35 | 8:40 | Circuit Closed | 0:05:00 | ||
| 8:40* | 9:10 | Meguiar’s Australian Production Cars | 0:30:00 | 9:07 + 1 lap | Race 2 |
| 9:25* | 9:45 | Precision National Sports Sedans | 0:20:00 | 9:42 + 1 lap | Race 2 |
| 10:05* | 10:35 | Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series | 0:30:00 | 10:32 + 1 lap | Race 2 |
| 10:50* | 11:50 | Monochrome GT4 Australia | 1:00:00 | 11:47 + 1 lap | Race 2 |
| 12:05* | 12:35 | Meguiar’s Australian Production Cars | 0:30:00 | 12:32 + 1 lap | Race 3 |
| 12:50* | 13:40 | First Focus Radical Cup Australia | 0:50:00 | 13:37 + 1 lap | Race 2 |
| 13:45 | 14:10 | TCR Grid Walk | 0:25:00 | ||
| 14:10* | 14:40 | Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series | 0:30:00 | 14:37 + 1 lap | Race 3 |
| 14:55* | 15:55 | Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia | 1:00:00 | 15:52 + 1 lap | Race 2 |
| 16:05* | 16:25 | Precision National Sports Sedans | 0:20:00 | 16:22 + 1 lap | Race 3 |
| 16:35* | 17:05 | Meguiar’s Australian Production Cars | 0:30:00 | 17:02 + 1 lap | Race 4 |
