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February 27, 2018 | General

CONTENDERS READY FOR ADELAIDE ANNIVERSARY

HARD CHARGING Camaro racer Adam Bressington says he is ready for a second tilt at the Touring Car Masters title this year.

The New South Wales driver has locked in his drive with Adelaide-based Whiteline Racing and is ready to go head to head with nearest rivals Steven Johnson and John Bowe when the series commences its new year at the 20th Adelaide 500 event this weekend in South Australia.  

A strong field of new and returning faces will take to the streets of Adelaide’s East-end this weekend with the retro muscle cars of the 1960s and 70s having played a big role in the history of Australia’s largest domestic motor sport event.

TCM’s first ever round was at the Adelaide 500 in 2007 and the series has raced there every year except one since thrilling local fans with close and competitive racing between some of the best muscle cars and their drivers around.

Bressington claimed the ProAm class title last year and fell just 36 points short of taking the outright title in a tense season finale’ in Newcastle.

Driving for iconic South Australians Bob and Sharon Middleton – of Greenfields-based Whiteline Transport fame – Bressington lays claim to ‘honorary South Aussie’ status this weekend.

“I’m looking forward to our home race and as an adopted South Australian it’s such a great way to start the year†Bressington said.

“We has a strong car the last three rounds of 2017 plus we had a great result in Adelaide last year so we’re carrying some confidence heading into the weekend.â€Â

Bressington will again reunite with teammate Mark King in a two-car Whiteline operation this weekend having picked up additional support from Vehicle Development Corporation and a slate of other sponsors following their superb 2017 campaign.

While Bressington will remain behind the wheel of the well-sorted No. 95 1969 Camaro King will return to his familiar 1970 Camaro that has been completely rebuilt since being badly damaged at Winton last year.

The pair will need to tackle TCM’s new four-race format should they wish to take success out of the Adelaide event though takes good form into the weekend.

Bressington finished second overall in the subsequent round twelve months ago while his car has won there on five occasions in the hands of its former driver Andrew Miedecke.  

“The new format is going to be very challenging and tyres are going to play a big part†Bressington explained.

“Having an extra race will be a big challenge. We started thinking about this race the moment we left the last one so we think we are ready and now we can’t wait to get on track.â€Â

The Whiteline team will be one of many contenders amongst a typically competitive TCM grid set for the Adelaide 500 this weekend.

Defending champion Steven Johnson will return to the scene of Team Johnson’s debut twelve months ago now with a fully developed Ford Mustang under his control.

Reliability issues and bad luck cost Johnson early last year however he stormed home to win six of the last eight races of the 2017 season to narrowly claim the title over old rival and friend John Bowe.

For his part Bowe is the most successful TCM driver on the Adelaide streets having won four of the last six rounds there – including last year’s event in his Holden Torana. Bowe has also scored pole in Adelaide on seven occasions.

Bowe will be joined in the Torana contingent by several drivers who all ran at the front at various stages last year; Bruce Williams (ACDelco) Ryan Hansford (Multispares Racing) and Jason Gomersall (BigMate Racing).

Hansford starred in the final round of the 2017 season taking pole position before finishing second to Johnson in the opening race on the demanding Newcastle street circuit.

After making his return to the category at Newcastle double champion Gavin Bullas is again entered for this weekend’s event – and is a driver with priors on the Adelaide streets.

The Victorian won the 2009 Adelaide round thanks to victories in all three races his six Adelaide wins second only to Bowe on the demanding 3.2km street circuit.

Joining the grid will be experienced V8 Touring Cars and Production Car ace Jim Pollicina who will the race-winning Holden Torana previously driven by Adam Garwood while former Open Wheel racer Rob Hackwood is expected to be strong in his series debut driving a 1965 Ford Mustang.

Former V8 Ute racer Ben Dunn will also make his debut driving the Chevrolet Monza coupe’ that as a race winner in Adelaide two years ago in the hands of Greg Ritter.

Jesus Racing’s Andrew Fisher will miss the opening round following a testing crash that damaged their Ford Falcon GTHO.

ENTRY LIST – ROUND 1 2018

No Sponsor Name Name Surname State Year Make Model Cap Colour
1 SportsMed SA Greg Keene SA 1974 Porsche 911 IROC 3600cc White
3 F3 Motor Auctions / Lucky’s Hotel Cameron  Mason NSW 1966 Ford Mustang Fastback 5000cc Red/White
5 ACDelco Bruce Williams VIC 1974 Holden  Torana SL/R 5000 5000cc Blue
6 Multispares Racing Ryan Hansford QLD 1974 Holden  Torana SL/R 5000 5000cc Yellow/Blue
9 Jesus Racing Andrew Fisher NSW 1971 Ford Falcon XY GT HO 5800cc Red
14 Northern BM Phillip Showers VIC 1972 Ford Escort RS 1600 2000cc Purple
16 Carne Grill / Precinct Bar Gavin Bullas VIC 1970 Ford Mustang Fastback 5800cc Black
17 WM Waste / Illusion Gas Log Fires Steve Johnson QLD 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback 5800cc Yellow/Green
18 Wilson Security / PAYCE John Bowe VIC 1974 Holden  Torana SL/R 5000 5000cc Red/White
19 Slideways Go Kart Centre Cameron  Wilson QLD 1970 Ford Mustang Fastback 5800cc Red
21 Wellpro Racing Robert Hackwood QLD 1965 Ford Mustang Coupe 5000cc White/Red
22 TBA TBA     1972 Holden  Monaro GTS Coupe 5800cc Silver/Orange
25 Maxi-Trans Trailers Paul Freestone VIC 1968 Chevrolet Camaro 5800cc Maroon
26 MOCOMM Motorsport Communications TBA     1972 Holden  Monaro GTS Coupe 5800cc Blue
27 MOCOMM Motorsport Communications Jim Policina NSW 1974 Holden  Torana A9X 5000cc White
28 Speedgas / ANGLOMOIL Lubricants Brad Tilley NSW 1971 Ford Falcon XY GT HO 5800cc Green/Black
29 Burrells Soils & Sand / Brad Tilley Auto Garage Jamie  Tilley NSW 1964 Ford Mustang Coupe 5000cc Black/Green
35 Bigmate Racing Jason Gomersall QLD 1978 Holden  Torana A9X Hatchback 5000cc Red/White/Black
46 THD Motorsport Leo Tobin VIC 1969 Ford Boss Mustang 5000cc Orange
60 Glennan Transport / ANGLOMOIL Lubricants Cameron Tilley NSW 1969 Valiant Pacer 4390cc Blue
71 Action Motor Industries / LMF Constructions Markus Zukanovic VIC 1980 Ford  Falcon XD 5800cc Dark Grey
85 Whiteline Racing / King Springs Mark King QLD 1970 Chevrolet Camaro RS 5800cc Yellow
88 TIFS – Warehousing & Distribution Tony Karanfilovski NSW 1969 Ford Mustang Trans Am 5800cc Orange
95 Whiteline Racing / Fabre Australia Adam Bressington NSW 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS 5800cc Yellow
97 Johns Furniture Removals Allen Boughen QLD 1963 Mercury Comet 4736cc Black/Blue
99 Balmain Coffee Company. Ben Dunn NSW 1975 Chevrolet Monza 2 + 2 6000cc White
                   

 

 

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