Touring Car Masters category management is confident that an application to expand model eligibility and pave the way for a Tru-Blu replica XD Falcon will pass in coming months.

The series has applied to CAMS to move its eligibility year cut-off from 1978 to 1980, with three competitors hoping to run XD Falcons next year.

As previously reported, Team Johnson is working on building a car for Steven Johnson to drive, while Marcus Zukanovic has confirmed to Speedcafe.com that he intends to join the category, potentially with a team-mate in another XD.

“We’ve made application to CAMS to extend our eligibility through to 1980,” Category Administrator Rowan Harman told Speedcafe.com.

“The reason the XD came up is because of the interest of Team Johnson to build a Tru-Blu replica.

“Rather than just have one car, the Zukanovics and another entrant said they’d also like to build those cars.

“We can see the advantage to TCM of having some new and different shapes, and of course an iconic car like the Tru-Blu Falcon.”

TCM has recently received notification from CAMS of receipt of the submission, and Harman believes that the XD will be represented on the grid from Round 1 in 2018.

“Our expectation is that it will be included in our 2018 sporting and technical regs eligibility list,” added Harman.

“The XD is essentially an XA/’B/’C Falcon with a squarer, boxier body, so the mechanical platform of the car is very, very similar.

“Using that as a base, it’s really just a body change.”

The XA, XB, and XC Falcons are already eligible.

Harman also stated that the VB Commodore would remain ineligible for at least the medium term due to a desire to promote the series as a home for unique cars which are not already well-represented in other series.

Zukanovic has confirmed to Speedcafe.com that he will exit ute racing at the end of the V8 Ute Racing Series’ final season, due to a lack of desire to race turbo diesels.

“We’re not going SuperUtes, we’re not going to do it, we’re going to TCM,” said the 2006 V8 Utes series winner.

“I just think the category’s a better fit for me.

“I love the (TCM) cars, I love the horsepower, and I’m not a fan of the turbo diesel.

“All my tow-truck fleet are turbo diesel so why would I want to race one?” added the towing business owner.

“They’ll (SuperUtes administration) make it work and they’ll get the cars to a certain spot; I just don’t think it’s me.”

Zukanovic and his potential team-mate will operate as a separate team to Team Johnson, though his father Mick has been collaborating with Dick Johnson on development of the cars.

TCM management expects a decision on the eligibility of the XD Falcon in November or December.