Two Victorian drivers who could consider themselves amongst the ENZED Touring Car Masters underdog ranks are keen to show their respective strengths at Winton Motor raceway next week.
Round 3 of the 2015 series will be held at the rural Victorian venue – a circuit that has the habit of producing tight racing and surprise performances from drivers and especially cars not regularly at the front of the TCM field.
Porsche driver Sven Burchartz and Ford Falcon XA pilot Tony Edwards are two hoping for Winton’s unpredictable nature to play to their respective strengths.
Edwards switched to the XA Falcon this year after years of racing Holden TCM products and has faced a challenging start to the season, as he and his team attempt to come to grips with the four-door Ford.
Major changes between rounds one and two improved the car at the most recent round in Tasmania and the development process will continue at Winton next week as Edwards attempts to set the car up to his liking.
‘Bertha’, as the car is known, has a strong history in TCM including wins and podium finishes in the hands of Leanne Tander during the 2010 season.
The car finished on the podium in the second race at Winton that year in Tander’s hands.
Meanwhile, Melbourne’s Sven Burchartz will look to use Winton’s many tight corners and braking zones to showcase the performance in his IROC Challenge-specification Porsche 911 RS.
The lightweight, nimble Porsche’s lack the outright horsepower of the front-running TCM Mustangs and Camaros however Winton’s nature means they are often competitive at the Benalla circuit.
Last year Greg Keene qualified his 911 fourth outright, behind only John Bowe, Jim Richards and Tony Karanfilovski – and only 0.1s from the front row of the grid.
Sixth place in race one showed that the 1200kg, 350hp Porsches can still compete with the high-powered muscle cars when the conditions are right.
“I’ve been having my eye on this round for a while,” Burchartz, a former Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge series winner said.
“I knew Greg was up there last year but didn’t know he did that well. Winton is a Porsche circuit: Only about a third of the time is spent on full throttle and the rest is balance and corner speed and exits.
“The big bangers are great but around there, they’re the all-original lead tipped arrow!!”
Burchartz made his series debut at Winton twelve months ago driving a Ford Mustang – an excersise that ultimately led him to purchase the ex-Bill Pye Porsche to compete this year in both TCM and the new IROC Challenge series that commences this June, also at Winton.
“I love the track, have got some results there and basically cut most of my testing laps there over the last 15 years so if I’m ever a chance to get a result, it’s there,” he explained.
“P4 for Keene last year? There’s the bar then. Nice symmetry as well as Winton 2014 was my first ever round but in Chris’s Mustang and as I remember it, we made a bit of an impression… on Gomersall’s rear quarter!”
27 cars are entered for the Rare Spares Rose City Trophy round at Winton, made up of three races on the May 15-17 weekend.
The grid includes the debut of another brand-new car to the TCM ranks – the Holden Torana SL/R 5000 recently completed by long-time series regular Gary O’Brien’s Bendigo Retro Muscle Cars business.
Graeme Alexander’s HT Monaro will make a welcome return to race for the first time this year while Rusty French is set to debut his brand new Ford Mustang coupe – a sister entry to Gavin Bullas’ Prodrive Racing Australia supported, jet-black entry.
Tight competition so far this season has seen seven different drivers feature on the podium across the first six races, and less than 60 points (one race win) cover the top six drivers in the ProMaster class standings after two of eight rounds this year.
Last year Winton delivered exciting racing and three different winners from three races.
John Bowe qualified on pole and won the first race, while Tony Karanfilovski scored his second win of the season when he won race two. Jim Richards won the third race and the round in 2014 driving his Ford Falcon Sprint.
Rare Spares Rose City Trophy Entry List
2. Jim Richards – Shannons Insurance 1972 AMC Javelin
3. Cameron Mason – Hercules Engines 1966 Ford Mustang Fastback
4. Rusty French – Skye Sands 1970 Ford Mustang Fastback
8. Gary O’Brien – Bendigo Retro Muscle Cars 1974 Holden Torana SL/R 5000
9. Andrew Fisher – Jesus Racing 1971 Ford XY Falcon GTHO
10. Tony Hunter – Sunliner RV 1971 Chevrolet Monza 2+2
11. Tony Edwards – Lion Mill Solutions/Ultra Performance Products 1973 Ford XA Falcon GT
16. Gavin Bullas – Rain City Racing 1970 Ford Mustang Fastback
17. Rohan Little – Red Rock Winery 1974 Porsche 911 IROC
18. John Bowe – Dunlop Super Dealers/Wilson Security 1969 Ford Mustang Trans Am
20. Ian Palmer – Palmer Promotions 1970 Pontiac Trans Am
25. Paul Freestone – Freestones Transport/Freestones Roadhaven 1968 Chevrolet Camaro SS
30. Glenn Seton – Thunder Road Racing Team Australia 1964 Ford Mustang Coupe
35. Jason Gomersall – iSeek Racing 1974 Holden Torana SL/R 5000
46. Leo Tobin – THD Motorsport 1969 Ford Boss Mustang
48. Eddie Abelnica – Melbourne’s Cheapest Cars 1974 Ford XB Falcon Coupe
52. Keith Kassulke – Outbound Racing/wheels.com.pg 1974 Ford XB Falcon Coupe
56. Brett Youlden – Gabriel Shock Absorbers 1972 Holden HQ Monaro Coupe
57. Graham Alexander – Corio Auto Parts 1968 Holden HT Monaro
60. Cameron Tilley – Glennan’s Transport 1969 Valiant Pacer
72. Bruce McLeod – BMR Industries 1973 Ford XA Falcon Superbird
74. Wayne Mercer – Lyndways Builders/Mick Webb’s SVO 1971 Ford XY Falcon GTHO
75. Greg Crick – Mopar Performance 1973 Chrysler Valiant Charger E55
85. Mark King – Whiteline Transport Racing/King Springs 1970 Chevrolet Camaro RS
88. Tony Karanfilovski – TIFS Warehousing & Distribution 1969 Ford Mustang Trans Am
90. Sven Burchartz – Kalus Kenny Intelex 1974 Porsche 911 IROC
95. Andrew Miedecke – Whiteline Transport Racing/Lubrimaxx 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS
