GRM Trans Am drivers James Golding and James Moffat have been given the nod to drive the 7-litre beasts as part of a tribute to Rogers following his death last month, aged 80.
It will be a special moment for the duo. They both raced for GRM in the Supercars Championship as well as Trans Am and were especially close to the legendary team owner.
GRM designed, built and ran the Monaros on behalf of Holden – taking victory with the yellow #427 machine in 2002 and returning a year later to score a 1-2 finish led by the red #05.
The GRM-owned #427 has been recalled from the Trafalgar Holden Museum for the trip, while the privately-owned #05 enjoyed a recent blast at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK.
As for which driver will be assigned to which car, event organiser and GRM stalwart Sally Parkinson said: “I’ve told them to fight it out amongst themselves!”
The cars will take to the South Australian circuit as part of a Rogers tribute scheduled for 2:50pm ACDT on Saturday.
They will be joined by GRM’s 2000 Bathurst 1000-winning VT Commodore, driven by Jason Bargwanna. That car is ordinarily on display at the team’s Melbourne workshop.
A fourth car will also join the tribute – a replica of the Soundwave Discos VH Commodore co-driven by Rogers in the 1983 Bathurst 1000.
It’s owned by Albury-based Mark Tracey, the father of Trans Am racer Blake, and will appear at Mallala thanks to the generosity of fellow Trans Am driver and GRM alumni Nathan Herne.
Lismore-based Herne, who runs his own team in Trans Am, responded to a public call-out looking for a way to transport the car to the SA event.
The November 21-22 Mallala Homecoming will feature the penultimate round of the Trans Am Series, as well as Formula Ford, HQ Holdens, Hyundai Excels and SuperSports.
There’s also a special Warbirds Airshow featuring a WW2 Wirraway fighter plane and aerobatic displays from Wolff Pitts Pro, Zivko Edge and the Sky Aces formation team.
Saturday action will be broadcast on SBS (12:30pm-4:30pm ACDT) and Kayo Sports (12:30pm-8:00pm), and live streamed via the Mallala Motorsport Park Facebook page (12:30pm-8:00pm).
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