The 2023 season really started on the Sunday afternoon in Adelaide after winning the 2022 TCM championship the day before. Ryan had cruised to the series win being careful not to get involved in someone else’s crash and started race 3 with the Multispares Torana tuned up to catch and pass Steve Johnson. After starting 4th he was soon into 2nd and believed he had the speed to do it, but coming down the back straight, the Torana went onto 7 cylinders. Ryan quickly shut it down and coasted into the pits.
The team packed up Sunday afternoon, and headed to the end of year awards night, but after a terrific night of celebration, Chris our Truck driver was on the road to Brisbane and the crew were at the airport already talking about the engine. Chris came home two up, the engine was out Tuesday night, and by Wednesday it was at the engine builders being pulled apart. With a hole in one piston, a set were ordered straight away from JE in the USA.
And here we are today….
Still no pistons.
Plan B didn’t come off. Plan C wouldn’t work. Plan D was too risky.
Team owner Rod Dawson then called the chap who bought the team’s first Torana – Plan E. The ripper SLR5000 that Ryan started TCM in back in 2017. Yes, the owner was happy to lease us the engine. It would fit, and be the easiest and quickest change to various things like the plumbing. But the engine had done a few km’s and Rod decided to cut open the oil filter. Smart decision. The engine was loaded into the Ute and down to the engine builder he went. With metal pieces in the oil filter it wasn’t long before they realised it would have gone bang.
Plan F is well under way with parts having arrived today and Rod and Craig the engine builder planning to work all weekend, building, dyno’ing and tuning the 5.0L Chev so we can put in the car early next week and still make the boat to Tasmania for round 1 next weekend.
We were able to book the last spot on the Spirit of Tasmania on Thursday night, so after arriving in Devonport Friday morning it will be straight to Symmons Plains 30 mins outside Launceston and hopefully make it in time for Practice 1. If they miss Practice Ryan will go straight into qualifying on Friday afternoon.
You can watch all the action, Feb 25 & 26 on Stan Sport, live and ad free. If you don’t have Stan, channel 9 will show some of Saturday’s action. Check your local guide and follow the team on the Multispares Racing Facebook page.
And don’t forget to see all the updates on the Multispares Racing Facebook page.
