MOTORSPORT: TCR presents new challenge

The first two-day race weekend for the carsales TCR Australia series is likely to shake and reshape the field at rural Winton this weekend.

One of the upset predictions comes from James Moffat, a proven winner at Winton from his time in Supercars and with growing experience and confidence in the Renault Megane RS he hustles in TCR.

“Potentially it could shake things up. You will have to think on your feet,” Moffat says.

“Without any practice on Friday you will have to make decisions in a short amount of time on Saturday, where normally you would have overnight to do that.

“What will be important will be nailing qualifying.”

Moffat runs fifth in the series and has had problems, including a major crash when he was cleaned-up by series leader in practice at The Bend in South Australia and last-start engine dramas at Queensland Raceway, but says he is pushing hard through the final three rounds for 2019.

“We need to pile on and get to the front guys. We want to bounce back after what was a a pretty difficult weekend for us in Queensland,” he says.

But Will Brown, who has a 57-point buffer at the top of the TCR table, is not worried about Moffat and says he has no plans to ease his choker-hold on the championship at Winton.

“I think it is going to be our track. A Hyundai track,” Brown says.

“I drove the i30 there at the start of the year, on our first track day, and it was very competitive. This is the one race meeting that I feel confident going into.

“My plan is to win. Generally, that is the plan. If we can’t win, I know we’ll still be in the top five and fighting for the win.”

An 18-car field is expected again for the renewal of the TCR contest, with veteran Russell Ingall -- who has quickly found podium-place pace -- returning for another start with the Audi RS 3 squad from Melbourne Performance Centre.

He will be joined by Liam McAdam, a young former Super3 champion, who is stepping into the RS3 that has had a rolling rotation of drivers this year led by Garth Tander and Frenchman JK Vernay, who won at his only start at QR.

Troy Russell of MPC signed him after a test hit-out at The Bend and McAdam is hoping for an early breakthrough in a car with proven pace.

“I’ve never raced a front wheel drive car before, so there will be a lot to learn and get my head around,” says McAdam.

For Moffat, the return to Winton is a chance to move into the leading battle pack on a track he knows and likes. He is also hoping that improvements by the Garry Rogers Motorsport team will have picked up the pace.

“I’ve won a couple there. I’ve done a few laps around there, so I’m looking forward to the weekend. We’ll give it all we’ve got,” says Moffat.

“We’ve proven a couple of times that we’re pretty good through the corners. And there are plenty of corners at Winton.

“We’ve been trying to improve the power side of things as much as we can, but there is only so much we can do. I think, the way the series has been, it’s pretty hard to go into the weekend and being able to predict who will be strong.”

But he still focusses on Brown as his target in the Hyundai i30 N.

“I think their car will be strong. Clearly that package is well sorted wherever it goes. What will be important will be nailing qualifying.

Brown says he will be keeping an eye on his title rivals, Dylan O’Keefe in an Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Tony D’Alberto in a Honda Civic Type R, but is more focussed on adding extra wins to his total.

“I’ve never really thought about championships when I was racing. When you start to think too much you go conservative. You’ve got to race hard.

“In the last round, and the last race, you can look for a championship, but with three rounds left I don’t think it’s necessary.”

The TCR Australia series weekend will open with practice at 9.05am on Saturday, followed by qualifying at 11.30am and the first of three races at 2.15pm, followed by two races on Sunday at 1.15pm and 2.20pm.