Carrera Cup Driver Headlines Trans-Am Field
PORSCHE Carrera Cup driver Fraser Ross is set to join a 23-car field at round three of the 2016 Australian Trans-Am series at Queensland Raceway, for the Shannons Two Days of Thunder on June 11 and 12.
Iwan Jones - June 2016
A number of new and returning faces will be joining Ross on the grid including New Zealand Historic Muscle Cars competitor David Sturrock, driving the 2014 championship winning 1970 Ford Mustang and seasoned Australian Trans-Am competitor Shane Wilson, in a Parnelli Jones tribute 1970 Ford Mustang.
The 2014 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia champion will be driving a Group N specification 1968 Ford Mustang previously driven by Drew Marget and Jim Richards, with support from action camera brand 360fly.
“It is a good Group NC car on paper but it will be interesting to see how it goes against the bigger-engined Trans-Am cars. It has a 302, it has good horsepower and I’m looking forward to racing the ‘old girl’ this weekend,” said Ross.
“I haven’t raced her for quite some time and it is a bit different to racing in a Porsche.”
In the lead up to the round, Ross turned some hot laps in the Mustang at a ride day at Sandown Raceway for his Carrera Cup supporters.
“It ran well and was a big hit with those who had the chance to sit in the passenger seat.
Despite racing more modern high-performance machinery in recent times, Ross has extensive experience in the historic touring car scene, with his first foray into historic racing at the 2010 Phillip Island Historics. The highlight of his time in the Mustang Trans-Am was qualifying on the front row at the Shelby American Auto Club (SAAC) 36 convention at Virginia International Raceway, having never seen the track before, in a car he had never driven.
Once back on home soil, Ross went on to join the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge before graduating to Porsche Carrera Cup with a GT3 Cup Challenge title under his belt.
Defending series champion Charlie O’Brien (200 points) leads the Palmer Steel Industries Trophy series with Brett Curran in the Angliss Meats Mustang equal second with John English in the Logan Village Smash Repairs Firebird (146 points). Alwyn Bishop leads the Loaders ‘R’ Us Sportsman class (188 points) in the Blake Machinery Group/Agilis Accountants Mustang ahead of Martin O’Kane (157 points) and Colin Velt (132 points) while defending 5 Litre champion Sean English (179 points) leads the Mulch Smart 5 Litre Classics in the MPP Race Fabrication/ Discount 4X4 Mustang ahead of Mark Bowtell (160 points) and Mike Collins (146 points) heading into the Shannons 2 Days of Thunder.