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Golding Resurgent in Trans Am Return
July 30, 2025
James Golding wasted little time in proving he hadn’t missed a step in his Trans Am absence, picking up two wins on a wet and tricky weekend at Sandown.
At a circuit which has proven to be a favourite for Garry Rogers Motorsport drivers over the years, the good form continued from the moment the cars hit the track. James Moffat leading the way in opening practice before Golding delivered a rapid lap in qualifying to earn his second pole position of the season.
It was a GRM lockout of the front row, with Moffat second in his LMCT+ entry. Elliott Cleary was an impressive sixth in his brand-new car, with Jordan Cox eighth in his Schaeffler Mustang. Lachlan Evennett qualified 11th, with Tom Davies in 12th.
Race one was the driest race of the weekend, and Golding made good use of those conditions to set a new race lap record on route to the race victory. Cox had a strong run as he cut his way through the field to finish in third, with Evennett following in similar fashion to finish seventh.
Cleary recovered to finish in 10th after being turned on the opening lap, while Davies was consigned to 22nd with damage from that same incident. Moffat had been running inside the podium places before pulling up short with a mechanical failure.
The second race of the weekend was wet and interrupted by two safety car periods, one of which was deployed just seconds after Golding was passed for the lead and saw the race end without another green flag lap run.
Moffat was the standout, as he charged from the very back of the field to finish in seventh, just behind Cox in fourth. Cleary and Evennett completed the top 10 with Davies in 13th.
Race three, 45-minutes in length, remarkably ran interruption free despite starting on a wet track and most of our cars coming back missing a quarter panel or two. Golding was untroubled by the slip and slide affair going on down the order, as he sprinted away after a good start to take another victory.
Cox was up and down the order a few times throughout the race, eventually bringing his car across the line in fifth place and just ahead of Moffat in sixth who had to come from outside the top 10 once again.
Cleary nursed some damage to the end, picking up a ninth place finish while Davies was able to claim 15th. Evennett had been on for his best race of the weekend, surging forward into the top five but was forced to pit with a puncture.
With two race wins, Golding claimed the round win and vaulted himself back up to third in the driver standings despite missing the Darwin round. Moffat and Cox also sit inside the top five.