Golding to return to Trans Am
James Golding will again bring some Supercars stardom to Trans Am with GRM in 2025 as number of drivers get announced.
Golding will steer the #31 GRM Mustang in four rounds throughout the 2025 season from the season opener in Tasmania to Bathurst, Winton and Mallala.
He took part in three events in 2024 and collected a solid haul of five wins, 10 podiums and three poles.
“Competing in Trans Am has definitely been a positive for my driving overall, and so to get back in the category this year is pretty exciting,” Golding said.
“The cars are a bit of a handful, so it helps with thinking outside the box to get the lap time. It’s definitely more of a relaxed environment, the Supercars world is pretty intense, so it’s good to be with GRM and all the crew there.
“Mallala later in the year will be good, I’ve driven there once before in Formula Ford and got a couple wins. It’s a fun little technical track, that will be good for the Trans Am cars.
“Great to have CTE Custom Transport Equipment, Luxton Homes and Titanium Caravans back on board for this year. As everyone knows you can’t do it without them, hopefully we’ll get plenty of coverage up the front for all our partners.”
Lachlan Evennett enjoying a win in the Bridgestone GR86 Championship at Hampton Downs in January 2025. Photo by Bruce Jenkins / Toyota Gazoo Racing NZ
Lachlan Evennett will make his debut in Trans Am alongside Golding within the GRM stable.
At 16 he will be one of the youngest in the field, but has no shortage of racing experience having driven in five different categories in 2024 including Formula Ford, Toyota 86, GT4, Formula Open and Aussie Racing Cars.
Most recently he raced in the New Zealand Toyota GR86 Championship and took a win.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing how I do, especially with the level of competition that the Trans Am Series will have this year. I also think it will pose a great challenge for me, but I’m ready to tackle it head on,” Evennett said.
“The chance to learn off very experienced drivers like Moff is an awesome opportunity that GRM have given me and I’m very excited to be able to work with them and the entire GRM team. I feel really honoured joining GRM and I’m looking forward to repaying the faith that Garry and Barry have put in me for 2025.
“Going into such a hotly contested series, expectations are hard to make, but I really want to learn all the tracks, how the Trans Am feels in racing conditions and fight for top ten finishes.
“I’ve tested well in the Trans Am which was great and got me very comfortable in the cars, and I am really looking forward to showing what I’ve got in Tassie for round one in the CAMM Quarries & Concrete Ford Mustang.”
Josh Haynes will race in a new championship with new colours. Image: Supplied
Another new face in Trans Am will be TA2 champion Josh Haynes, who is making the step up to the big league.
At just 20 Haynes drove to the national title last year by a commanding 191 points.
The full-time plumber has also taken class honours at the Bathurst 6 Hour and led the 2021 Australian Pulsar Racing Association Championship before COVID shut it down.
After dominating TA2, Haynes will be hoping to translate that success to Trans Am.
The 2025 season begins with Race Tasmania on March 22-23.
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