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Fisher makes Holden switch for TCM’s Queensland trip
With ‘Abigail’ – his trusty Falcon GTHO – side lined for the immediate future, Jesus Racing driver Andrew Fisher has had to find a replacement for the third round of the Gulf Western Oil Touring Car Masters Series in Townsville next week.
Handling issues with the familiar Jesus Racing Ford Falcon XY GTHO triggered Fisher to lease a Holden Torana A9X to race at the Townsville round and potentially at Queensland Raceway following that.
The decision follows on from an accident at Bathurst last year when the right hand front upright failed on top of the mountain, and he had heavy contact with a concrete wall. While the car was fixed, it has had subsequent dramas at both rounds of this year’s series.
“It is not a power issue, rather it has to do with the car’s handling,” Fisher said.
“We recently fitted a three-link rear end and at this stage we can’t get the front and the rear to work together.
“So rather than try and sort it all out on a race weekend, we would rather do private testing and get it right. I just want to go to a meeting and enjoy the racing without having to fix problems.”
While Andrew is a true-blue Ford man, he will again jump to the ‘dark side’ and be in a General Motors product.
“There was simply no Fords available, and Jim (Pollicina) is a good mate and we have leased off him before.”
The Torana Andrew previously raced was originally in the hands of Tasmanian Adam Garwood, while Andrew raced the car at Bathurst and Sandown in 2019. It is now owned and campaigned by fellow competitor, Peter Burnitt.
In Townsville, Fisher will race Jim’s remaining four-door Torana, originally raced by Jason Gomersall and is the sister car to Hatchback A9X that Jim currently races.
“The four door is a race winner, Dean Lillie won one of the races at Bathurst last year and I know what a good operation Jim and Dean have.
“I am really looking forward to Townsville, I like the track and the last time TCM was there, in 2018, I qualified third,” he added.
Besides racing at Townsville from July 8 to 10, Andrew will be visiting schools and institutions around North Queensland with his Life Choices program.
He will have a replica V8 Ute Racing Ford Falcon on display and plans to have his TCM replica Falcon XY at future events.