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JOHNSON RETURN SETS TCM MOUNTAIN MASTERS GRID
STEVEN JOHNSON will step back behind the wheel of Mustang ‘Sally’ when the ENZED Touring Car Masters returns to Mount Panorama Bathurst this weekend.
The seventh round of the 2016 series will feature a strong grid for the TCM Mountain Masters presented by ENZED Shannons and Rare Spares.
Having stepped aside for Neil Crompton at the Muscle Car Masters in September Johnson will be excited to get back on track in the John Bowe owned Mustang that he’s raced for much of this season.
His three rounds to date have resulted in three wins and eight of a possible nine race victories – ‘The boss’ Bowe the only driver to beat him so far.
“I have to admit I was a little jealous seeing Neil Crompton drive out of the pits each race at Sydney Motorsport Park!†Johnson admitted.
“Bathurst is a magic place and every racer wants to race there – it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve raced there you never come away feeling like you’ve mastered it. Thanks to JB and his crew it’s an awesome experience running with his team.
“It’s going to be very tough against JB he was very fast last outing and the regular TCM field will be strong too. I’m really looking forward to it.â€Â
The No. 17 Ford will again be supported by PAYCE and Wilson Security on the Mountain.
Meanwhile Bowe is looming as a title threat in his Bendigo Retro Muscle Cars-prepared Holden Torana SL/R 5000 placed third in the standings following his round victory in Sydney last month.
Despite missing Tasmanian round earlier this year Bowe has closed to within 37 points of new series leader Jim Richards.
The seven-time Bathurst champion assumed the TCM points lead from Andrew Miedecke in Sydney last month with a string of continually strong performances.
Richards’ AMC Javelin leads Miedecke’s Lubrimaxx-supported Chevrolet Camaro by just 10 points – setting up a potentially thrilling Bathurst encounter between a trio of Bathurst veterans.
Meanwhile Andrew Fisher will debut his rebuilt Jesus Racing Falcon GTHO this weekend having sat out the series most recent round at the Muscle Car Masters.
Fisher’s team has built a brand new engine for the 1972 Falcon upgrading to a ‘dry sump’ powerplant for the first time.
Fisher will focus solely on his TCM Falcon on the Mountain with Aaron Borg set to drive his ‘other’ Ford in the V8 Ute Racing series in his place.
The Bathurst field will be boosted by the return of 16-year-old Tasmanian Adam Garwood who will look to make his first ‘official’ TCM start this weekend after engine dramas curtailed his initial debut at Sydney Motorsport Park last month – meaning he didn’t complete a racing lap in anger.
Two classic Porsche 911s driven by Sven Burchartz and Rohan Little will also showcase the return of the German brand to the series for the first time since Winton earlier this year.
The TCM field will tackle three races across the weekend including the now traditional early Sunday morning curtain-raiser prior to the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.
Qualifying and every race will be shown live on FOX Motorsport with free-to-air coverage on Network Ten details to be finalised.
TCM MOUNTAIN MASTERS – ENTRY LIST
Presented by ENZED Shannons and Rare Spares
|  | Sponsor Name | Driver Name | State | Year | Make | Model | Colour | Cap |
| 2 | Shannons Insurance | Jim Richards | VIC | 1972 | AMC | Javelin | Grey/Green | 5890cc |
| 3 | Hercules Engines | Cameron Mason | NSW | 1966 | Ford | Mustang Fastback | Red/White | 5000cc |
| 4 | Skye Sands | Rusty French | VIC | 1970 | Ford | Mustang Fastback | Black | 5800cc |
| 7 | Red Rock Winery | Rohan Little | VIC | 1974 | Porsche | 911 IROC | Silver | 3600cc |
| 9 | Jesus Racing | Andrew Fisher | NSW | 1971 | Ford | Falcon XY GTHO | Grey/Red | 5800cc |
| 10 | Sunliner RV | Tony Hunter | VIC | 1971 | Chevrolet | Monza 2+2 | White | 5000cc |
| 11 | Lion Mill Solutions/Ultra Performance Products | Tony Edwards | VIC | 1973 | Ford | Falcon XA GT | Violet | 5768cc |
| 12 | Giraffe Civil Contracting | Adam Garwood | TAS | 1974 | Holden | Torana SL/R 5000 | White | 6000cc |
| 17 | PAYCE/Wilson Security | Steven Johnson | QLD | 1969 | Ford | Mustang Trans Am | Blue/Yellow | 5800cc |
| 18 | Dunlop Super Dealers/ Wilson Security/ PAYCE | John Bowe | VIC | 1974 | Holden | Torana SL/R 5000 | Blue/Yellow | 5047cc |
| 20 | Storage King | Ian Palmer | QLD | 1970 | Pontiac | Trans-Am | White/Blue | 5800cc |
| 25 | Freestones Transport/Freestones Roadhaven | Paul Freestone | VIC | 1968 | Chevrolet | Camaro SS | Blue | 5800cc |
| 30 | Thunder Road Racing Australia | Glenn Seton | QLD | 1964 | Ford | Mustang Coupe | Black/Gold | 5000cc |
| 35 | iseek Racing | Jason Gomersall | QLD | 1974 | Holden | Torana SL/R 5000 | White/Blue | 5047cc |
| 46 | THD Motorsport | Leo Tobin | VIC | 1972 | Holden | HQ Monaro Coupe | Orange | 5810cc |
| 48 | Sydneys Cheapest Cars | Eddie Abelnica | VIC | 1974 | Ford | Falcon XB Coupe | Red | 5800cc |
| 56 | Gabriel Shock Absorbers | Brett Youlden | VIC | 1972 | Holden | HQ Monaro Coupe | Green | 5800cc |
| 60 | Tilleys Racing Equipment | Cameron Tilley | NSW | 1969 | Valiant | Pacer | Blue | 4390cc |
| 74 | Lyndways Builders | Wayne Mercer | VIC | 1971 | Ford | Falcon XY GTHO | Blue | 5800cc |
| 76 | Falvey Bros / Savy Motorsport | David Falvey | VIC | 1975 | Holden | Torana SS | Orange | 5800cc |
| 85 | Whiteline Transport Racing / King Springs | Mark King | QLD | 1970 | Chevrolet | Camaro RS | Red/Black/White | 5800cc |
| 88 | TIFS – Warehousing & Distribution | Tony Karanfilovski | NSW | 1969 | Ford | Mustang Trans Am | Orange | 5800cc |
| 90 | Kalus Kenny Intelex | Sven Burchartz | VIC | 1974 | Porsche | 911 IROC | Orange | 3600cc |
| 95 | Whiteline Transport Racing / Lubrimaxx | Andrew Miedecke | NSW | 1969 | Chevrolet | Camaro SS | Black/Blue | 5800cc |