The 2013 Touring Car Masters season will get underway with a 25 car field this weekend as part of Sydney Motorsport Park’s Top Gear Festival.
The category’s heavy-hitters have all returned for the new season, headlined by former Australian Touring Car Championship stars John Bowe, Jim Richards and Andrew Miedecke.
Richards will start the season in his Ford Falcon Sprint as repair work continues on his AMC Javelin following its heavy crash at last year’s Sandown season finale.
Eddie Abelnica’s Ford Falcon XB will be a part of the Sydney field however despite its incident during practice for the bruising Sandown encounter.
As previously reported, former series winner Gavin Bullas will drive Phil Morris’ Ford Falcon XA in Sydney while his regular mount, a Ford Mustang, is refurbished ahead of a return at Barbagallo Raceway’s Round 2.
Former V8 Ute racer Adam Bressington has had a more permanent car swap, moving from the ex-Steve Mason Chevrolet Camaro to the Jim Morton-owned Holden Monaro, which will be prepared by Hi-Tec Motorsport.
Fellow Ute convert Jason Gomersall is also embarking on a full TCM program this year aboard a Holden Torana having, like Bressington, enjoyed his first taste of the class in late 2012.
Series stalwart Brad Tilley will miss the opening round but is expected to return later in the season. Cameron Tilley has been entered in the famous Ford Falcon XY usually campaigned by his brother.
The Top Gear Festival will also feature Round 1 of the 2013 Radical Australia Cup, in addition to a variety of racing-related attractions including demo runs from Mark Webber in a Red Bull Formula 1 car, and speed comparisons between Webber (F1), Craig Lowndes (V8 Supercar) and Casey Stoner (motorcycle).
The TCM races will utilise SMP’s North Circuit this weekend before again running the full Brabham layout during September’s Muscle Car Masters.
See below for the full TCM entry list
| 3 | Hercules Engines | Steve Mason | NSW | 1966 | Ford | Mustang Fastback | B |
| 4 | Ultra Performance Components | Tony Edwards | VIC | 1974 | Holden | Torana SL/R 5000 | A |
| 8 | Panels & Performance | Gary O’Brien | VIC | 1971 | Holden | HQ GTS | B |
| 11 | Lion Mill Solutions | Gavin Bullas | VIC | 1973 | Ford | Falcon XA GT | A |
| 12 | Shannons Insurance | Jim Richards | VIC | 1964 | Ford | Falcon Sprint | A |
| 13 | Black Cat Racing | Rory O’Neill | SA | 1973 | Porsche | 911 RS | B |
| 18 | Dunlop Super Dealers/Wilson Security | John Bowe | VIC | 1969 | Ford | Mustang Trans Am | A |
| 22 | PRT Race Fabrication | Nigel Benson | SA | 1971 | Chevrolet | Camaro SS | B |
| 25 | Freestones Transport | Paul Freestone | VIC | 1968 | Chevrolet | Camaro SS | A |
| 26 | Toshiba / Copyworld | Michael Almond | SA | 1973 | Porsche | 911 RS | B |
| 27 | Fabre Australia | Adam Bressington | NSW | 1971 | Holden | HQ Monaro | A |
| 28 | Cannon Trailers | Cameron Tilley | NSW | 1971 | Ford | Falcon XY GT | A |
| 32 | SportsMed | Amanda Sparks | SA | 1973 | Porsche | 911 RS | B |
| 33 | SportsMed | Greg Keene | SA | 1973 | Porsche | 911 RS | B |
| 35 | iseek Racing | Jason Gomersall | QLD | 1974 | Holden | Torana SL/R 5000 | A |
| 48 | Sydney’s Cheapest Cars | Eddie Abelnica | VIC | 1974 | Ford | Falcon XB Coupe | A |
| 52 | Outbound Racing / wheels.com.pg | Keith Kassulke | PNG | 1974 | Ford | Falcon XB Coupe | A |
| 56 | Mothers Cleaners, Wax & Polish | Brett Youlden | VIC | 1972 | Holden | HQ Monaro | A |
| 57 | Corio Auto Parts | Graham Alexander | VIC | 1968 | Holden | HT Monaro | A |
| 74 | Lyndways Builders | Wayne Mercer | VIC | 1971 | Ford | Falcon XY GTHO | B |
| 75 | Mopar Performance | Greg Crick | TAS | 1973 | Chrysler | Charger E55 | A |
| 85 | Whiteline Transport Racing | Mark King | Qld | 1970 | Chevrolet | Camaro RS | A |
| 88 | TIFS – Warehousing & Distribution | Tony Karanfilovski | NSW | 1971 | Ford | Falcon XY GTHO | A |
| 95 | Lubrimaxx | Andrew Miedecke | NSW | 1969 | Chevrolet | Camaro SS | A |
| 98 | Thunder Road Racing Australia | William Viney | NSW | 1964 | Ford | Mustang Coupe | A |
