The Australian motorsport national circuit season is officially underway after the successful running of the second AWC Race Tasmania at Symmons Plains Raceway.
 
Five categories featured in the race meeting, three of which were national categories – the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, the S5000 Australian Drivers Championship and the Turtle Wax National Trans Am Series. 
 
Competitors in both TCR and Trans Am got to enjoy three races throughout the weekend and both ended in thrilling circumstances with a number of drivers having been in the running for top honours. 
 
In TCR, it was a highly competitive weekend with multiple race winners and podium finishers, however it was second-year driver Josh Buchan who enjoyed the best start, topping the standings after three races.
 
Behind the wheel of the HMO Customer Racing prepared Hyundai i30 N TCR, Buchan didn’t end up with any wins of his own, however his consistency along with a podium and two top five finishes was enough to elevate to the Series lead. 


It could have been a bigger lead at the end of the first round, however a penalty during the final race prevented Buchan from winning the race and demoted him to fourth.
 
Taking advantage of Buchan’s penalty was Honda privateer Zac Soutar, who ended the season opener with his first ever win in the series and he now sits just two points behind Buchan in the standings.
 
Another beneficiary of Buchan’s penalty was one of the most experienced drivers in the TCR field in Tony D’Alberto – his second place in race three helping him cement his start to the year after two top-10 finishes. 
 
Finishing in fourth place a further eight points off D’Alberto was race two winner Jordan Cox, who recovered from a disappointing opening outing to pick up a win and podium in races two and three.
 
A handful of other contenders were dealt major blows throughout the meeting, including race one winner Jay Hanson and 2021 runner-up Aaron Cameron – both drivers not finishing race two.
 
Supercars star and inaugural TCR winner Will Brown finished the weekend in seventh place with his best result coming in race two where he finished in fourth.


As for the Turtle Wax National Trans Am Series, it was the usual suspects towards the front of the field with Tim Brook ending the round in top spot.
 
However, just like 2021, there was very little separating the top two drivers with Brook finishing just two points ahead of fellow Ford Mustang pilot and reigning champ, Nathan Herne. 
 
Brook got the better start of the two as he won the opening race ahead of Queenslander Kyle Gurton and Herne, only for the latter to bounce back in race two and win.
 
With Brook finishing the race in fourth place behind Gurton and Victorian Ben Grice, there was plenty riding on the final race of the weekend and the spectacle certainly delivered.
 
Brook eventually won the race over Herne to claim top spot, Gurton ended up in seventh place and Grice retired – ending the first round of what will be another exciting season. 
 
In the S5000 Australian Drivers Championship, it was a familiar face in Tim Macrow who came away with round honours after a big performance in the main feature race. 
 
Although he ended up winning the final race, it was the lead up that would play a major role in the outcome for the category as reigning champion Joy Mawson and pole sitter James Golding were unable to deliver a full set of results.
 
Both were strong in qualifying and race one, where Mawson pipped Golding for the win, however in race two, Mawson retired and left the door open for Golding to take the lead after he finished behind winner Josh Fife and Macrow. 
 
Unfortunately, the former Supercars driver was unable to back up his performance and finished in fifth place, allowing Macrow to charge home to victory ahead of the second placed Cooper Webster and Fife.

Mawson was able to recover slightly and picked up fourth place to end the weekend with 71 points – 33 off leader Macrow. 


Also taking place on the weekend were the local Tasmanian categories, Hyundai Excels and Holden HQs with provisional results still to be confirmed.
 
All three national categories will continue their season at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit next month as part of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships’ season opener on 18-20 March.