TODD Hazelwood’s Trico Trans Am title defence is off to a flying start, after cruising to victory in the weekend’s second race from Hi-Tec Oils Race Tasmania at Symmons Plains Raceway.

Subsequent to claiming pole position and the Saturday race win, the reigning Bathurst 1000 victor was seldom troubled in the 25-minute-long race.

“Jimmy (Golding) was on my tail, so I was trying to manage the tyres and gap as best as I could,” said Hazelwood.

“I had to sacrifice a tyre yesterday, so we are essentially one tyre down in our tyre bank, so I was just trying to conserve as much as I could.

“But the car was an absolute jet, big thanks to my team at TFH Racing, we worked until nearly midnight last night to solve a few issues that we had yesterday.”

With light rain falling on the circuit, Hazelwood’s Mustang led the field from a fast-starting Tom Davies (GRM Mustang), while Nathan Herne (Blue Gold Industries Mustang) dropped back to sixth from the front row of the grid.

James Golding (CTE Mustang) swiftly moved into second as local driver Joshua Webster (Auto Fix Mustang) spun on the entry to the Hairpin, necessitating a safety car on lap two.

Leading rookie Lachlan Evennett lost ground after locking a brake, settling in seventh, while Josh Thomas (TFH Racing Mustang) spun at turn six, sending numerous cars off the track.

While this happened, Blake Tracey (Auto Openers Mustang) ran wide at the Hairpin, as Josh Haynes (Herzog Steel Mustang) hit the turn six outfield.

Jason Pryde (JPM Camaro) rode out a long-lasting slide into the Hairpin before recovering, while Mark Crutcher parked the Crutcher Developments Mustang in the pits with steering issues.

Robbie Farr (Hi-Tec Oils Camaro) spun at turn six and later became entangled with James Moffat (LMCT+ Mustang), with the latter briefly going off-track.

Moffat put in a staunch drive to elevate himself from 26th on the grid after an axle issue yesterday to ultimately be placed 11th at the chequered flag.

In the closing moments of the race, various dramas claimed the cars of Ben Gomersall (Unit Racing Mustang), Charlie Nash (Tickford Autosport Mustang) and Jackson Rice (Dream Racing Australia Mustang), who quickly recovered from a spin.

At the chequered flag, it was Hazelwood from Golding and Nash Morris, who impressed aboard the Norwell Motorplex Mustang in third.

Davies was next from Grice, Herne, Adam Garwood (Garwood Motorsport Mustang), Evennett, Jordan Cox (Schaeffler Mustang) and Jack Smith (SCT Logistics Mustang) in tenth.

Next up for the Trico Trans Am Series at Buckby Motors Symmons Plains Raceway is race three for the weekend, which is scheduled for 1:10pm, with the finale to follow at 4:20pm.

For those trackside, free grid walks will be held at 12:50pm and 4:00pm, while those at home can follow the action from 1:00pm to 5:00pm on SBS onDEMAND and Kayo.