FORD is the most successful marque in Touring Car Masters history but is staring down the barrel of an unwanted record this year.
No brand has come close to Ford’s 10 top-tier titles since the category’s debut in 2007.
However, for the first time, the Blue Oval could go winless throughout a complete season (excluding the 2020 campaign that was cut short after one round due to COVID-19).
Nine of the 13 races to date this year have gone Holden’s way, with three belonging to Chevrolet and one to the Valiant Pacer of Cameron Tilley.
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It’s left Ford stranded on 199 TCM race wins for more than 11 months, its last victory coming courtesy of Steven Johnson at the 2021 Repco Bathurst 1000 event.
Johnson could well lead the Ford charge again this weekend at Mount Panorama, continuing on in Russell Hancock’s Mustang Trans-Am.
Among others in the Ford ranks will be Falcon XY GTHO steerers Andrew Fisher and Brad Tilley, as well as Jamie Tilley and his Ford Mustang Coupe.
Ryan Hansford (Holden Torana A9X) leads John Bowe (Holden Torana SL/R 5000) by five points entering the Bathurst International, spanning November 11-13.
That will form the penultimate round of the season before the title decider on the streets of Adelaide.
