Hampton warm up gets muscle cars stretching their legs

This weekend sees the return of the muscle when drivers and their high horsepower beasts hit the track for a shakedown session.

The Central Muscle Cars are a delight whenever and wherever they appear, and it feels like forever since they were last out in anger.

The mix for this fast and furious day of racing will see the return of drivers who had taken a season off, along with those who missed out on grabbing the prized silverware last season.

But it’s not just about them. The current champions will be pedalling around and even though it’s a non-championship meeting there are still mind games to be played.

This is a chance for drivers to set a marker for the season, an opportunity to make a statement and have their opponents starting on the back foot.

It’s the first blowout after the Covid lockdowns and a moment for drivers and teams to reacquaint themselves with their racing routines, but there are still plenty of reasons to grab the glory – Championship points don’t always matter.

Everyone’s favourite Angus Fogg will be one of the ones to watch in his fabulous earth shaking black and gold JA Russell Boss Mustang. Angus has done more laps around Hampton Downs – and in a variety of cars – than most and he will be out to put an early marker down for muscle car racing this coming season. He’s been chomping at the bit to get out and go racing and will be a welcome addition to the race meeting as a whole.

There should be a field of up to 15 of the world’s best prepared – and best sounding – muscle cars in the motorsport world this weekend.

Shane Johnson is back after a season off while namesake Shane Holland is out in his new ex Greg Honnor Mustang.

Rick Van Swet is back, Hugh Gardiner is back and with names like Galbraith, Hopkins, Kett, Elliott and Turner in the field, it’s got plenty of interest.

There’s practice on Friday with qualifying and three races on the big day of racing on Saturday.