Touring Car Masters to tackle The Bend
Joel Heinrich and the South Australian-based Whiteline Racing are determined to win the 2025 Touring Car Masters title, and they head to a happy hunting ground in Shell V-Power Motorsport Park in good shape.
The Touring Car Masters will be a popular addition to the support program during the AirTouch 500 at The Bend.
TCM has been a regular customer at the SA venue, racing there in each of the last three seasons.
One driver and car have been a cut above the rest in previous meetings at The Bend, Heinrich and his bright yellow Camaro.
The duo have won four of the last five races held at the venue, including a commanding clean sweep in last year’s season finale.
Heinrich claimed a home hat-trick last year in what proved to be a warning shot for what was to come.
He and Whiteline Racing have only got better as they have started 2025 in fine fashion.
Five wins has pushed Heinrich to a strong position as the runaway leader in the TCM standings.
The #95 has amassed 518 points, 53 clear of Steven Johnson, who is the only other driver with multiple wins and more than 400 points.
Johnson has been one of the feel-good stories of the season in his BRUT Mustang.
The Hancock Racing driver is working his way back from health issues which kept him on the sidelines at the back end of 2024.
But he has bounced back brilliantly and took the breakthrough win at Symmons Plains, before doubling up at Darwin.
Behind Johnson, there is a tight tussle for third with Andrew Fisher, Ryan Hansford, Jude Bargwanna, Danny Buzadzic, Jeremy Hassell and Scott Cameron separated by just 79 points.
The likes of Fisher, Bargwanna and Cameron were all caught up in that multi-car clash at Tasmania, but have bounced back well from demanding rebuilds.
In his debut season, Bargwanna in the VB Commodore that Adam Garwood drove to last year’s title, has shown promise, but is still chasing a breakthrough championship race win.
The likes of Fisher, Hansford and Buzadzic have shown speed in their Torana’s, but have often had bad luck get in the way.
Cameron has kept the cheers loud at Whiteline Racing after he claimed a special win in his first start in the Torana since the rebuild.
He is a contender in a tight race for Pro Am honours that is headed by Buzadzic with a 31-point buffer.
Hassell has opened a solid 58-point advantage over fellow Torana driver Dave Hender in Pro Sport.
The regular field will be bolstered by the return of some familiar faces in a strong entry list of 26 cars.
Reigning champion Garwood is back in his Capri, having made the required adjustments following Tasmania which stopped him from racing at Darwin.
Marcus Zukanovic’s XD Falcon, Jamie Tilley’s GTHO, Rod Cannon’s GTHO and Ben Dunn’s Chev Monza have all not been seen since the Sydney opener, but are returning.
There are a few newcomers in the form of David Schramm in his A9X Torana, Chris Meulengraaf in a Pro Sport Porsche, and Aldo Di Paoli steering a Pro Am Chevrolet Camaro.
Across three championship sprints, plus the Trophy Race, Touring Car Masters will be a category to watch at The Bend.
Image: Daniel Kalisz Photographer
Touring Car Masters entry list
NO TEAM DRIVER MAKE MODEL CLASS
1 AMA Collisions Adam Garwood Ford Capri Pro Master
3 Western General Bodyworks Danny Buzadzic Holden Torana A9X Pro Am
6 Multispares Racing Ryan Hansford Holden Torana A9X Pro Master
09 Jesus Racing Andrew Fisher Holden Torana SLR5000 Pro Master
12 Depulo Wheel Reconditioners Gold Coast Peter Burnitt Holden Torana A9X Pro Sport
18 Pearcedale Plant Hire P/L David Hender Holden Torana A9X Pro Sport
28 Prolube Lubricants Jamie Tilley
29 Heywoods Sheppartoon Motor Panel Martin Riseley Ford Mustang Pro Sport
30 Chris Muelengraff
33 Hancock Racing Steven Johnson Ford Mustang Trans Am Pro Master
46 Pierce Plumbing / Pro wash Car Wash Leo Tobin Ford Mustang Trans Am Pro Sport
60 Anglomoil Superior Lubricants Cam Tilley Valiant Pacer Pro Am
65 Cannon Trailers Rod Cannon
78 Team Bullfrog Jeremy Hassell Holden Torana A9X Pro Sport
85 Whiteline Transport (Aust) P/L & Duggan Family Hotels Scott Cameron Chevrolet Camaro SS Pro Am
88 TIFS Third Party Logistics Tony Karanfilovski Ford Mustang Trans Am Pro Am
95 Whiteline Transport (Aust) P/L & CR International Adelaide Control Eng Cleveland Freightlines. Joel Heinrich Chevrolet Camaro RS Pro Master
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