YOU KNOW things are going to be good when a race team confirms they’ll run not only a Touring Car Masters Camaro but also a Chevy Monte Carlo NASCAR at the one event..

WORDS: Richard Craill

WHITELINE RACING will return to the track for the first time since February, having lodged two exciting entries for The Bend Classic event this September.

The event will celebrate more than a century of motorsport and motoring in South Australia, with a broad spectrum of historic, classic and modern cars set to tackle The Bend Motorsport Park’s West circuit across a two-day sprint event on the Father’s Day weekend.

Befitting the event, Adelaide-based Whiteline Racing will enter their Gulf Western Oil Touring Car Masters 1970 Chevrolet Camaro RS; the car set to hit the track for the first time since the Adelaide 500.

The Camaro is one of the most iconic cars in the popular Muscle Car series and is currently driven by Tasmanian young-gun, Adam Garwood. The car will be steered by Bob Middleton at The Bend.

Whiteline Racing are one of the most successful teams in the more than 100-round history of the TCM series, having won 9 rounds, 26 races from 80 rounds and more than 240 race starts.

The team’s other Camaro, a 1969 model, currently leads the series following a win at the Adelaide 500.

The Classic will also mark the first time that a Touring Car Masters car will have tackled The Bend Motorsport Park.

While the TCM Camaro is likely to attract plenty of attention, Whiteline Racing’s other Chevrolet is also likely to create a stir.

The team will return one of their Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCARs to the track at The Bend, giving local fans their first taste of the stunning noise of a Stock Car for the first time in, literally, decades.

The #85 Whiteline Racing Monte Carlo is to return to the track in a competitive situation for the first time since 2002 – when it contested its last race in a Stock Car support event during an Australian Super Trucks round Winton.  

While the Monte Carlo – one of two cars remaining in the team’s hands – has been run at private practice events recently, the car has not been seen running at speed at a public event since it last raced competitively.

Local Stock Car competition played a big part in Whiteline Racing’s history with the team enjoying success at the Calder Park Thunderdome and Adelaide International Raceway ovals, and the road course events the series tackled.

Whiteline won the final ever NASCAR race on the Calder Park Thunderdome and the final Australian NASCAR championship with Andrew Miedecke.

Whiteline Racing’s pair of Chevrolet entries will hit the track at The Bend for practice on Friday, 4 September before tackling two days of against-the-clock sprints on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September.

“The Bend Classic is celebrating South Australian Motorsport this year and it wouldn’t be right to do it without having Bob, Sharon and the iconic Whiteline Racing team at the event.” Said The Bend Motorsport Park Marketing Manager, Michael Rossi.

“In a weekend of firsts, we’re excited to see a Touring Car Masters car take to The Bend for the first time. As one of Australia’s most popular categories, we hope to see TCM race at circuit in the future, but this will be a fantastic taste-test with a car that regularly competes for race wins in the series.

“And then there’s the NASCAR, which is going to be a sight and sound for the senses and is the kind of car The Bend Classic is all about; getting these incredible machines on track again.”