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2026 Trans Am Season Kicks off with Speed, Chaos and Podiums
April 8, 2026
The 2026 Trans Am Cup Series got underway at Mount Panorama on the weekend, as part of the Bathurst 6 Hour, with James Moffat and Tom Davies the highlights from a rollercoaster round for the Garry Rogers Motorsport team.
Just one practice session, interrupted by multiple red flags, leading in to qualifying put the established runners on the front foot. Moffat was fast as always, earning himself fourth on the grid, with Tom Davies eighth and Jack Smith in 10th. Lachlan Evennett (who turned 18 on Friday!) came in to qualifying with limited running due to a brake failure in practice, the crew putting in the hard yards to get his car out in time to earn 16th on the grid.
Moffat pounced early in Race One to secure third place in the season opener, holding off the hard chargers behind with a faultless performance. Davies and Smith both made ground as they moved up to seventh and eighth, unfortunately Evennett was again the victim of misfortune with a lap one puncture sending him to the pits.
Race Two played out in pretty similar fashion up front with Moffat taking home third place once again, and Smith elevating himself up one spot. Davies had been challenging the top five but had to nurse a fuel pressure problem to the end which dropped him to tenth. Evennett started his comeback, starting from the rear of the grid and climbing up to 16th.
The final race of the weekend brought a brilliant weekend undone for Moffat, who had nowhere to go on lap two when the car in front made an error and put him out of the running. Smith had a spin later that same lap which dropped him down the order, while Davies cut his way through the field to finish in fifth. Evennett ended the weekend in 10th, picking up another half a dozen places.
In the Marcos Ambrose Motorsport stable there was also plenty to cheer about, with Elliot Barbour recovering from a tricky qualifying and mounting a drive from 12th on the grid in Race One to a podium finish in Race Three.
Jordan Freestone’s debut weekend was completed with a clean car, maximum laps completed and steady progress over the round as he finished up in 19th.
Round two of the 2026 Trans Am Cup Series takes us back to the Top End and to the Supercars undercard as part of the Darwin Triple Crown from June 19-21.