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Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Field Chase Bargwanna to Tasmania
The Supercheap Auto TCR Australia field make the trip across the Bass Straight to Tasmania this weekend for round two of the season, at Symmons Plains Raceway.
After taking out two wins in a career-best performance at Sandown International Raceway, it’s Garry Rogers Motorsport’s Ben Bargwanna who has the field snapping at his heels as the series descends on a circuit that has traditionally been strong for the Peugeot brigade.
View the full entry list here.
Josh Buchan took pole position at the opening round of the season and enters the weekend second in the points. Along with teammate Tom Oliphant, the HMO Customer Racing squad will be hopeful of replicating last year’s double victory performance at AWC Race Tasmania.
Zac Soutar and Glenn Nirwan line up for Tufflift Racing in a pair of Audi’s, with Soutar looking to continue the strong start to the season that sees him fourth in the standings. Nirwan will continue his steep learning curve, with Symmons Plains marking another new track for the Indonesian driver.
Clay Richards returns in the Carl Cox Motorsport Cupra Leon Competition, the first time the third-generation racer has lined up for a manufacturer more than one round in a row – previously Audi at Winton, Peugeot at Sandown 2023 and Cupra at Sandown 2024.
GRM teammates Jordan Cox and Aaron Cameron will be keen to rekindle their previous pace in Tasmania, with both drivers having won at the 2.411km circuit in the past. Ryan Casha will continue his rookie season in TCR Australia after an impressive podium at Sandown, but it now taking on a track he has yet to turn a racing lap at.
The Honda Wall Racing trio of Tony D’Alberto, Brad and Will Harris are reunited after the latter was forced to step away mid-event at Sandown with a rib injury. D’Alberto has three times finished runner up at Symmons Plains, and will no doubt feel that elusive Tasmanian victory is there for the taking. Brad Harris will be looking to go two for two in the TCR Challenge battle, following an impressive performance at the opening round of the season.
Dylan O’Keeffe lines up again for Ashley Seward Motorsport, with the multiple race-winning combination hoping to build upon their speed in the Lynk & Co. The ASM team won the first ever TCR race at Symmons Plains in 2021.
13 cars will take to the track from March 15-17 for round two of the season, with Marcus LaDelle’s 99motorsport and Iain McDougall’s Challenge Motorsport both stepping aside for this round.
All the action, part of the Shannons SpeedSeries, will be live and free on the Seven Network with 7plus and 7mate providing coverage on Saturday and Sunday.
Quotes:
Lisa Totani – TCR Australia Category Manager
“The nature of Symmons Plains Raceway always delivers exciting racing and the passion for TCR from the Tasmanian motorsport fans has been unwavering. Having an extremely competitive field, any of our 13 drivers are capable of winning this weekend. With strong TV figures from Sandown interest in TCR is steadily building and I wouldn’t be discouraged by grid numbers this weekend, but I’m confident of a return to at least 15 cars for Phillip Island,” said Totani.