Mustang, Camaro and Challenger racers for Oz

From the mid-1960s through to the early-1970s, American Trans-Am racing was hot property. Now, there’s a modern equivalent… and it looks set to hit Australia in 2016.

Peter Robinson is the sole Australian importer of new-generation ‘TA2’ race cars including Ford's new Mustang, the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger.

“These TA2 cars are a true international class,” Robinson says. “They are in Canada, Sweden, USA and now Australia… and no doubt NZ in due course.”

Evoking memories of the ‘pony car' wars that commenced in the original Trans-Am series back in the 1960s, the TA2 cars wear Mustang, Camaro and Challenger bodies.

“I think our timing is perfect to bring these cars in with the marketing of Mustangs as the new sports version Ford available, and the talk of RHD Camaros for GM,” he says.

While Stateside TA2 allows a range of V8 powerplants underneath, the Aussie series will be more strictly controlled to ensure a level playing field and cost containment.

“The Australian cars will be identical except for the body shape,” explains Robinson. “GM Racing factory-built LS3 engines with LS9 oiling systems producing 525hp [390kW], G-Force four-speed manual gearbox, ‘quick-change’ rear-ends, Penske adjustable shocks, slick tyres and big brakes.”

The cars are built in the US by Howe Racing, a stalwart of TA2 racing internationally with around 80 Howe cars running in Sweden’s ‘Thunder Cars’ series.

Robinson expects the cars to arrive in March 2016 with an April racing debut.

“Our goal is to bring in the first nine cars to race at Queensland Raceway and Lakeside during 2016, with a few interstate rounds to show others what we are about,” he adds.

“We will be taking TA2 racing to New South Wales and Victoria, so they too can race at club level, with a national round for the best cars and teams to compete against each other.

“We intend to have limited numbers of each shape per state; this way the field of cars isn’t dominated by one body shape.”

A newly-formed group, TA2 Racing Australia Management, will work with established motorsport authorities to set national rules and regulations as well as establishing car franchise rules and racing entitlements policy.

TA2 differs further from the likes of the Touring Car Masters series by enforcing a ‘no professional driver’ policy, Robinson citing that TA2 should be “a grass roots category”.

How grass roots? “With the [Australian] dollar at 72 [US] cents, these cars will be landed for approximately $110,000,” says Robinson.

The original Trans-Am competition saw pony cars of the day show their wares on race tracks throughout the US and Canada.

Massive manufacturer interest brought star names, with the 1970 season pitting factory or factory-supported teams including Penske’s AMC Javelins, Bud Moore’s Ford Mustangs, Chaparral Chevrolet Camaros, Pontiac Firebirds managed (and driven, until his tragic passing at Road America) by Trans-Am stalwart Jerry Titus.

Mopar brands were also on-show, with Dan Gurney's All-American Racers running Plymouth ’Cudas and building a Dodge Challenger chassis for Ray Caldwell’s AutoDynamics team to finish.

The rules permitted a maximum capacity of 305ci [5.0-litre], but the list of tricks employed by these incredible tuners is legendary. They made the Trans-Am cars very quick, as well as great to watch with the likes of Mark Donohue, Parnelli Jones and Peter Revson doing the driving.

Today, Historic Trans-Am enjoys a massive following Stateside and there’s also a series for such vehicles in Australia and New Zealand.

In updating to modern machinery, the Australia TA2 category should appeal to a whole new generation of racing enthusiasts… as well as those who saw the originals in period.

Expressions of interest can be lodged via info@ta2racingaustralia.com.