The Roaring Season

Australian Trans-Am Returns to New Zealand


A selection of cars from the Queensland-based Australian Trans-Am Series will head to New Zealand’s Hampton Downs to race alongside the local Historic Muscle Cars in early 2017.

The Trans-Tasman muscle car battle will take place on consecutive weekends in January (13-15 and 20-22), with the latter part of the annual New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing, celebrating Formula 5000 legend Ken Smith.

This meeting will mark the series’ fourth appearance in New Zealand, following the most recent battle on Australian soil in 2015 at Queensland Raceway, Lakeside Park and the Australian Muscle Car Masters at Sydney Motorsport Park.

Trans-Am management has confirmed eight cars to head ‘across the ditch’ including Charlie O’Brien (Camaro), John English (Firebird), Robert Hackwood (Mustang), Shannon O’Brien (Firebird), Ian Woodward (Mustang), Anthony Tenkate (Mustang), Russell Wright (Mustang) and Mike Collins (Mustang).

“We are thrilled to be returning to New Zealand for the fourth time and are looking forward to putting on a show once again for the Kiwi fans,” said ATA representative Ian Woodward.

“This Trans-Tasman Series has become so valuable for both HMC and our ATA group for establishing ourselves as quality motorsport categories.

“We are excited to reignite our great racing rivalry with a capacity grid of American and Australian muscle cars at the impressive Hampton Downs facility."

Woodward also recognises those who have assisted in the organisation of this meeting.

“We’d like to make special thanks to EDI Freight for all their help and assistance in putting this freight package together.

“I’d also like to thank American Racing Wheels for their loyal support and we look forward to potentially having their NZ distributor on-hand at the track.”

The concept came to fruition as a result of a chance meeting between Woodward and HMC Director Dale Mathers at a historic race meeting at Infineon Raceway. Mathers anticipates the competition with the Trans-Am cars to be very close.

“Both ATA and HMC have a firm control of the regulations and continue to work together keeping both classes even.

“HMC are heavier cars, but are allowed any engine combination that came production for that make and model vehicle. ATA cars on the other hand are much lighter with stripped out interiors just like the Trans-Am cars from the era, but their engines are restricted to 355 cubic inch and run on 98 pump gas. The real secret is the limiting factors of both groups on the same size wheel and Hoosier bias-ply tyre combination.

“Neither class has an advantage over the other and this helps keeps the on-track performance close and the cars all looking the same.”

Round 1 of the 2017 Australian Trans-Am Series will be held at Lakeside Park on March 18-19.

Great stuff Dewi! This is going to be good.

What ever happened to this?

Help Steve, that was 18 years ago !!!

I know, scary huh! I never saw that car race. I think it only ever had one or two outings.

Anyone considering building a car for HMC? I have a '69 Firebird currently on TM, which would make a good candidate. Check it out here: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1226038634

Steve Holmes wrote:What ever happened to this?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]39790[/ATTACH]

Drinkrows will still have it in their collection, saw it at Whenuapi when it was first built, never seen it again.

Belong to one of the brothers that passed away

Dale M

Thanks Dale. Sure is a neat car.

Someone needs to buy this! Tony Garmey just sent me this link he found on craigslist: http://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/5914805743.html

Junie Donlavey took a very similar Ford Torino to Le Mans in 1976, and was hugely accomplished in the sport. $35K seems very cheap for a genuine NASCAR stock car.

It won't be fast, but it'll win the cool-factor hands-down.

Sorted out all the current entries today for the Tasman Revival meeting at Hampton Downs, Jan 14/15th 2017, can't believe a week out from X-Mas we have so many entered already, geez I might have to sit down and have a drink............ be a great meeting for sure

We've cap it at 35, our grid is now full, all others please enter the 2nd weekend.

1. Shannon O’Brien, 70 Pontiac Firebird #2(ATA)
2. Kevin Gimblett, 67 “Earnhardt” Camaro #3(HMC)
3. Colin Campbell, 71 Mk1 Escort #4(HMC)
4. Dave Sturrock, 68 “Gulf” Camaro #7(HMC)
5. John English, 70 Pontiac Trans Am #11(ATA)
6. Roger Williams, 69 “American Airlines” Camaro #12(HMC)
7. Robert Hackwood, 66 Mustang #21(ATA)
8. Mike Collins, 66 Mustang Coupe #22(ATA)
9. Dale Mathers, 69 “Boss” Mustang #23(HMC)
10. Murray Brown, 70 “Z28” Camaro #28(HMC)
11. Ian “Woody” Woodward, 70 A-Sedan Mustang #31(ATA)
12. Tony Roberts, 65 Mustang Fastback #32(HMC)
13. Nigel MacDonald, 67 “Dawson” Mustang #35(HMC)
14. Steve Elliott, 68 “A-Sedan” Camaro #41(HMC)
15. David Wood, 76 “Petty” Dodge Aspen #43(HMC)
16. Peter Stevenson, 66 A-Sedan” Mustang #47(HMC)
17. Glenn Allingham, 70 Camaro #50(HMC)
18. Russel Wright, 67 Mustang Fastback #55(ATA)
19. Richie Malam, 67 Mustang Coupe #57(HMC)
20. Grant Sprague, 71 Mk 1 Escort, #63(HSC)
21. Brett Pearce, 68 HK “Bathurst” Monaro #68(HMC)
22. Anthony Tenkate, 69 “Kermit” Mustang #69(ATA)
23. Dennis O’Connell, 69 MK1 Escort #69(HSC)
24. Charlie O’Brien, 70 Camaro #72(ATA)
25. Bob Hyslop, 72 RX2 Mazda #74(HSC)
26. Mike Coory, Datsun 24K GTR #77(HSC)
27. Richard Ryan, 72 GTR-XUI Torana #86(HMC)
28. Steve Doughty, 68 Camaro #87(HMC)
29. Tony Mexted, 70 Mustang “PDL” #104(HMC)
30. John Dennehy, 69 “Freighters” Mk1 Escort #103(HSC)
31. John Sampson, 69 Capri V6 #117(HMC)
32. Sean McCaughan, 71 XY Falcon #121(HMC)
33. Craig Horn, 70 XUI Torana #148(HMC)
34. John Hutson, 68 BMW 2002 #231(HSC)
35. Gary Raiti, 73 XA Falcon coupe #444(HMC)
36. Neville “Hillsy” Hills, 74 Mk2 Escort #483(HSC)

That is real impressive line up Dale, and once upon a time they muttered "it will never work'. So there it did. Awsesome work Guy's.

Rod Grimwood wrote:That is real impressive line up Dale, and once upon a time they muttered "it will never work'. So there it did. Awsesome work Guy's.

Thanks for your vote of confidence Rod, I got told many times “no one will turn up unless you have points and championships” and my answer to that was “if that’s all a racer turns up for he isn’t a Classic/Historic racer then” it has to always be about the “Car” and at the end of the day isn’t it only about having a bit of fun on wheels? what we’ve done is nothing new, period correct old saloon car racing is a world-wide phenomenon yet here in NZ its look upon as been unusual, still, I always figure as long as we have enough for a grid it will give a few of us somewhere to race without any hoopla, TV, etc.

Anyway, were else will you see a grid of 11 X Mustangs, 8 X Camaros, 5 X Escorts, 2 X Pontiac Firebirds, 2 X Falcons, 2 X Torana’s(one a real GTR XUI) 1 X HK Monaro(a genuine Bathurst model and probably the most valuable car on the grid) 1 X Capri, 1 X Dodge Aspen, 1 X RX2 Mazda, 1 X Datsun 240K, 1 X BMW 2002, all Pre 12/77 Saloons in period guise on their correct size wheels, I can retire now(yeah rite)

While im at it I really do need to thank HRC’s Chris Watson, Tony Roberts, TACCOC’s Jim Barclay, Grant Clegg and MG Classics Ron Robertson for having the same vision as myself, Bruce Dyer and Steve Holmes, doesn’t come easy these days as there’s always plenty of knockers.

Merry X-Mas and Happy New Year from HMC/HSC and ATA.