News
Red flag curtails Trans Am finale
THE final race of the Trico Trans Am Series at Mount Panorama ended with a red flag, as a slick track on top of The Mountain claimed multiple drivers.
Des Collier (TFH Racing Mustang) was the first to come unstuck when he hit the wall at the top of The Esses, with the track subsequently coated in fluid as he cleared the scene.
When the leaders hit the slick, Jordan Cox (Schaeffler Mustang) swiped the wall, Adam Garwood (Garwood Motorsport Mustang) spun from the top five, with others coming to grief, including the GRM Mustangs of Tom Davies and Lachlan Evennett, with Jack Smith (SCT Logistics Mustang) also involved.
Cox found the wall again further down the hill, while the track was temporarily blocked.
The safety car was called before the race was red-flagged just past the 30-minute mark of the scheduled 45-minute duration.
Through the mess, reigning Trans Am Series champion Todd Hazelwood was on top of the timing board in his TFH Racing Mustang after a hard-fought battle.
The win was the reigning champion’s fifth from six races contested to date in 2025, which sees him extend his championship lead.
“We didn’t get many racing laps, first and foremost, I hope everyone is alright and survived what was a pretty scary situation coming down the hill,” said Hazelwood.
“The track was filled with oil, and we were lucky to survive.”
James Golding (CTE Mustang) held onto the lead from pole at the race start as the cars behind ran three wide into Hell Corner on the first lap, with Elliot Barbour (Shure Racing Camaro) forced into the dirt, where he tumbled back to 15th.
Cox made it past Hazelwood (TFH Racing Mustang) before the opening lap was through, while Ben Grice (All American Drivelines Mustang) and Jarrod Hughes (IES Motorsport Camaro) battled hard into turn one.
Hughes travelled through the gravel trap and continued, while Grice spun and stalled.
As this was happening, Charlie Nash (Tickford Autosports Mustang) toured the outfield at The Chase before becoming bunkered at Murray’s Corner, as Chase Hoy (Holinger Racing Camaro) parked on the side of Mountain Straight.
The green flags waved again with 22 minutes remaining, with Cox challenging Golding at Griffins Bend, which allowed Hazelwood to use the opportunity to dive back into second.
Hazelwood then blasted past Golding for the lead on Conrod Straight, although the leading pack remained tightly bunched, with Cox subsequently moving into second going up Mountain Straight.
When the race was red flagged, Hazelwood was classified in first from Nathan Herne (BlueGold Industries Mustang), an ill Blake Tracey (Auto Openers Mustang), a hard charging James Moffat (LMCT+ Mustang), Golding, Ben Bargwanna (Hangcha Racing Mustang), Elliot Barbour (Shure Racing Camaro), Josh Haynes (Herzog Steel Mustang), Ben Gomersall (UNIT Racing Mustang), with Josh Thomas (TFH Racing Mustang) rounding out the top ten.
Gomersall was victorious in the TFH Hire TA2 Muscle Car Series Presented by Maritimo Luxury Yachts, ahead of Thomas and Hughes, while Thomas claimed the Pro-Am class from Mark Bailey (Jax Tyres Mustang) and John Holinger (Holinger Racing Camaro).
Overall for the weekend, Hazelwood came out on top from Golding and Herne, while in Pro-Am, Thomas was the top scorer over John Holinger and Mark Bailey.
The next stop on the Trico Trans Am Series schedule is the betr Darwin Triple Crown from June 20-22, the first of three events this year alongside the Repco Supercars Championship.