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Hayman shining bright in 2023
Tom Hayman will look to build on his fine form from this season as the National Trans Am Series returns to the circuit he made his debut last year, Queensland Raceway.
In what is only his first year as a full-time driver in the category, the New South Welshman is taking the series by storm, sitting third on the standings at the halfway point of the season.
In a series that rewards consistency, Hayman has managed seven top 10 finishes in his nine races so far, with three of those finishes coming in the top five.
Despite not picking up any race wins, the results see the 18-year-old as a serious threat to the outright podium in most rounds, highlighted by the Phillip Island round where a seventh and fifth was enough for an outright third.
It gets even more impressive when you consider the calibre of drivers the New South Welshman finds himself alongside in the standings.
Hayman sits behind the Garry Rogers Motorsport pairing of James Moffat and Lochie Dalton, while holding off the likes of Dream Racing Australia’s Josh Webster and the experienced Owen Kelly.
“This season has probably been better than we had first anticipated,” Hayman said.
“Being third in the series for such a little team going against the big guns is awesome, but all things considered, we just keep our head down, keep the title race out of our minds and take everything as it comes.
“We were able to find ourselves on the podium at Phillip Island which was great, and we also made up 10 places in the final race at Winton – so those two moments are the standouts for me so far.
“It’s a bit surreal racing against some big names, but I take it as it comes, and I see it as experience.
“It’s a great opportunity to learn from them, especially when I’m running behind so that’s something that is crucial for me.”
This season signalled a big shift for Hayman, as his family team has taken on the preparation and running of the Di Prinzio Concreting Ford Mustang in their own custom-built garage at home.
“We are still running things out of the garage at home at the moment, with a shed still being built on the property,” Hayman explained.
“It’s a bit difficult but we have got a lot of people there to support us.
“The biggest challenge would be getting all the resources and finding the time to prep the car, obviously a lot goes into it, but we get through it.
“Our sponsors help us out by fixing up bodywork, so their support is unmatched.”
As for his return to Queensland Raceway, Haymen was looking forward to improving from a difficult debut on the circuit last year.
“It wasn’t a great debut last year, but all things considered, we had fun,” Hayman added.
“Last year was my first time at QR, it is not a track I’m very fond of yet, it’s a bit of a bogey track for me after last year but hopefully this year’s results change that and we come out of it in a good position.
“It doesn’t sit in the back of my mind; we are looking forward to it.’
The National Trans Am Series is one of six national categories to feature at Queensland Raceway in August and will take the track for the first time on Friday for two practice sessions. Qualifying on Saturday morning will decide the grid for the weekend’s opening race, before the final two races take place on Sunday.
All three of the category’s races will feature in the Stan Sports coverage as well as every other round of the National Trans Am Series, where fans can watch the action live, on-demand and ad-free.
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The fourth round of the National Trans Am Series will take place at Queensland Raceway as part of the fifth round of the Shannons SpeedSeries on 11-13 August.