27 February 2018 |

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 20^th 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	CameronÂÂ	Mason	NSW	1966	Ford	Mustang Fastback	5000cc	Red/White
5	ACDelco	Bruce	Williams	VIC	1974	HoldenÂÂ	Torana SL/R 5000	5000cc	Blue
6	Multispares Racing	Ryan	Hansford	QLD	1974	HoldenÂÂ	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	HoldenÂÂ	Torana SL/R 5000	5000cc	Red/White
19	Slideways Go Kart Centre	CameronÂÂ	Wilson	QLD	1970	Ford	Mustang Fastback	5800cc	Red
21	Wellpro Racing	Robert	Hackwood	QLD	1965	Ford	Mustang Coupe	5000cc	White/Red
22	TBA	TBA	ÂÂ	ÂÂ	1972	HoldenÂÂ	Monaro GTS Coupe	5800cc	Silver/Orange
25	Maxi-Trans Trailers	Paul	Freestone	VIC	1968	Chevrolet	Camaro	5800cc	Maroon
26	MOCOMM Motorsport Communications	TBA	ÂÂ	ÂÂ	1972	HoldenÂÂ	Monaro GTS Coupe	5800cc	Blue
27	MOCOMM Motorsport Communications	Jim	Policina	NSW	1974	HoldenÂÂ	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	JamieÂÂ	Tilley	NSW	1964	Ford	Mustang Coupe	5000cc	Black/Green
35	Bigmate Racing	Jason	Gomersall	QLD	1978	HoldenÂÂ	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	FordÂÂ	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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