It won’t be Shane van Gisbergen, but the Turtle Wax Trans Am Series will still have a debutant in its ranks this weekend at Mount Panorama.

Repco Supercars Championship leader van Gisbergen was due to juggle a maiden Trans Am expedition with a drive in the Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour main event, until a COVID-19 positive test rendered him unavailable.

Brett Holdsworth had been among the competitors to hail van Gisbergen’s addition to the grid as “amazing”, but the opportunity to go door-to-door with the Kiwi will now have to wait until at least May 27-29 at Sydney Motorsport Park.

Nevertheless, there will be a fresh face on the 25-car grid in the form of James Simpson.

The youngster is a fourth-generation racer, his father Michael having raced to a number of podium finishes in what is now known as the Dunlop Super2 Series.

Simpson Snr also made a pair of starts in the Bathurst 1000, co-driving with Craig Harris in 2001 and Kevin Mundy in 2002.

Meanwhile, Elliot Barbour will return after missing the recent Phillip Island round.

Nathan Herne enters the Bathurst event holding a seven-point lead over nearest rival Tim Brook.

The Turtle Wax Trans Am Series will roll out for opening practice at 08:15 tomorrow.

Entry list: Turtle Wax Trans Am Series, Round 3