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February 26, 2019 | General

PAYNTER DIXON TOURING CAR MASTERS SET FOR SUPER SEASON OPENER

A DEEPLY competitive Paynter Dixon Touring Car Masters series grid will tackle the opening round of their 2019 series this weekend at the Superloop Adelaide 500.

2019 marks the 12th time that the series for retro muscle cars from the 1960s 70s and early 80s will have commenced their season on the classic Adelaide parklands circuit.

The field is headlined by two-time defending champion Steven Johnson who will commence his run for a third straight crown this weekend aboard the most successful car in series history – the 1969 Ford Mustang nicknamed ‘Sally’.

Refreshed and with new colours this year Johnson will start the season in the Mustang prior to the debut of a brand-new XD Falcon later this year.

Challenging Johnson and also in new colours will be five-time champion John Bowe.

The always-rapid Tasmanian has narrowly finished second to his former DJR teammate for the last two seasons and will target a sixth crown in 2019 driving the same PAYCE-backed Torana he’s driven for the last two seasons.

Bowe won the corresponding round last year after Johnson’s car failed in the final race.

Eight of the top 10 drivers from the 2018 series including all three class champions return to the grid this year.

Whiteline Racing / VDC Camaro driver Adam Bressington will commence his third season for the Adelaide-based team fresh from recording his first race victories in the category in the final two races of the 2018 season in Newcastle.

He will be joined by the returning Bernie Stack in a two-car Whiteline team Stack assuming the driving duties of the 1970 Camaro RS driven by Mark King in recent seasons.

Double champion Gavin Bullas makes his return to the championship having last competed in April last year.

The Victorian will race the 1974 Holden Torana steered last year by Jim Pollicina as part of a two-car team entered by the reigning ProSports class champion.

Bullas won the 2009 TCM round on the streets of Adelaide on the way to his first of two titles and has six race wins at the venue to his credit.

Holden’s Torana a model that has won six of the last nine races in Adelaide will have strength in numbers this weekend.

As well as Bowe Bullas and Pollicina also in the Torana camp will be Ryan Hansford Jeremy Gray who will both debut newly-built cars for the Queensland-based Peters Motorsport / Multispares Racing outfit.

Bruce Williams and 2018 race winner Jason Gomersall will also race Torana’s this weekend.

Adelaide fans will get their first look at the next-generation of TCM machinery via former Utes and Super 2 series racer Marcus Zukanovic who commences his first full-season campaign in his XD Ford Falcon this weekend.

The Victorian made his debut at Sandown last year and grabbed a podium finish in the final race at Bathurst a month later.

Another former Utes champion makes his TCM debut this year V8 Ute and SuperUtes winner Ryal Harris to debut in TCM driving a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro.

Cameron Tilley the 2018 ProAm class winner will return in his ever-popular Valliant Pacer at a circuit that traditionally suits the Chrysler product. Tilley finished second overall in Adelaide last year and will look to go one better as he seeks an elusive maiden race and round win in TCM.

Jesus Racing’s Andrew Fisher (Falcon GTHO) Cameron Mason (Ford Mustang) Paul Freestone (Camaro) Leo Tobin (Mustang) Geoff Fane (Camaro) and Aaron McGill (Falcon GT) all return this season.

Rob Hackwood will race the sole Pontiac Firebird in the field while the enormously popular Allen Boughen returns in an improved Mercury Comet this year.

Gary O’Brien will debut a newly constructed 1972 Holden Monaro GTS while Guy Gibbons will make his TCM debut driving a similar 1973 model.

The Paynter Dixon Touring Car Masters hit the track for the first time at 12:15pm on Thursday for practice ahead of qualifying at 3:55pm later that afternoon.

The Dometic Trophy Race commences at 1:05pm on Friday afternoon while a late-afternoon sprint will kick off the 2019 season proper with Race 1 at 5:05pm local time.

One race each on Saturday (11:25am) and Sunday (12:10pm) will complete the first of seven rounds scheduled this year.

FOX Sports and Kayo Sports will show live coverage of every session from Qualifying onwards this weekend.

Race 1 (Friday) and Race 3 (Sunday) will be shown on Channel 10.  

ENTRY LIST – SUPERLOOP ADELAIDE 500

No Sponsor Name Driver Name Surname State Year Make Model Cap Colour
3 Peter Drayton Wines Cameron  Mason NSW 1966 Ford Mustang Fastback 5470cc Red/White
5 ACDelco / Auto Action Magazine Bruce Williams VIC 1974 Holden  Torana SL/R 5000 5000cc Blue
6 Multispares Racing Ryan Hansford QLD 1974 Holden  Torana A9X 5000cc Yellow/Blue
7 MOCOMM Motorsport Communications Jim Pollicina NSW 1974 Holden  Torana A9X 5000cc Black/Red
8 Bendigo Retro Muscle Cars Gary O’Brien VIC 1972 Holden  Monaro GTS 5800cc Black
9 Jesus Racing Andrew Fisher NSW 1971 Ford Falcon XY GT HO 5800cc Red
16 Franke / Spy Boats Gavin Bullas VIC 1974 Holden  Torana A9X 5000cc White/Black
17 WM Waste / Herrod Performance Steve Johnson QLD 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback 5800cc Yellow/Green
18 PAYNTER DIXON John Bowe VIC 1974 Holden  Torana SL/R 5000 5000cc Black/White
24 Wellpro Racing Robert Hackwood QLD 1972 Pontiac Trans Am 5800cc White/Blue
25 Maxi-Trans – Freighter Paul Freestone VIC 1968 Chevrolet Camaro 5800cc Maroon
35 Bigmate Racing Jason Gomersall QLD 1978 Holden  Torana A9X Hatchback 5000cc White/Blue
46 Hillier Brothers / THD Motorsport Leo Tobin VIC 1969 Ford Boss Mustang 5000cc Orange
58 EFS 4WD Accessories Ryal Harris QLD 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS 5800cc Gold
60 ANGLOMOIL Lubricants/MD Steel Fabrications Cameron Tilley NSW 1969 Valiant Pacer 4390cc Blue
67 Bilstein/JMG Racing Jeremy Gray QLD 1974 Holden  Torana A9X 6000cc Black
71 Centec Security Industries Markus Zukanovic VIC 1980 Ford  Falcon XD 5800cc White/Blue
72 GFR Industries Geoff Fane QLD 1972 Chevrolet Camaro SS 5800cc Orange
75 Ranger Lifting-Rigging-Safety Aaron  McGill NSW 1971 Ford Falcon XW GT 5800cc White/Blue
85 Whiteline Racing / Gawler Self Storage Bernie Stack SA 1970 Chevrolet Camaro RS 5800cc Yellow
95 Whiteline Racing / VDC Adam Bressington NSW 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS 5800cc Yellow
97 Century Batteries Allen Boughen QLD 1963 Mercury Comet 5470cc Yellow
902 1902ALAWYER Guy Gibbons QLD 1973 Holden  Monaro GTS 5800cc Blue