Ayrton Hodson’s final outing in the Trans Am Series/TA2 Muscle Car Series at the 6-Hour Bathurst event was anything but straightforward, as the unforgiving Mount Panorama dished out high drama in a race cut short by carnage.
Starting 19th overall and 5th in the TA2 class, the Kiwi young gun was eager to make every lap count before his return to the mountain in the Super2 Series later this year. But from the very beginning, the mountain made its presence felt.
On just the second lap, yesterday’s TA2 race winner, Jarrod Hughes, was caught out at Turn 1, spearing into the gravel and becoming beached.
Simultaneously, Trans Am front-runner Ben Grice spun at the same corner, left facing the wrong way and unable to rejoin.
Further back on the track, Chase Hoy was shown stranded just off the racing line.
Three cars were stuck, so the safety car was called as marshals scrambled to recover them and get the race back underway.
The restart came with just over 22 minutes left on the clock. Trans Am stars James Golding, Jordon Cox, and Todd Hazelwood led the charge, while Hodson had already muscled his way up to 16th overall.
Across the field, fellow Kiwi Aaron Prosser was circulating in 32nd.
Hazelwood wasted no time, blasting past Cox and then Golding to take the overall lead before they even crossed the stripe to begin Lap 3.
Behind them, chaos erupted as Trans Am drivers Nathan Herne and Aaron Garwood traded paint, battling for fourth, setting the tone for what would come next.
At the top of the mountain, disaster struck. Cox clipped the wall. Garwood spun—and right in the thick of it—Ayrton Hodson.
Hodson was caught off guard and left with nowhere to go as cars scattered across the circuit, oil slicked across the racing line, turning the track into an ice rink.
Hodson lost control and slammed into another competitor. The incident quickly became a nine-car pile-up, as some drivers fell victim to the oil. Others could stop in time but blocked the track, as they ran through the dipper.
The suspected culprit? An earlier crash by TA2 driver Des Collier, who may have left a trail of oil.
Despite the chaos, Hodson managed to limp back to the pits. The team rapidly patched up the damage and sent him back out, rejoining in 27th—eleven spots down from where he was running before the incident.
With just 12 minutes left on the clock and a massive clean-up required, officials had no choice but to red-flag the race. After only six laps completed—just three under green—the race was declared, cutting short what could have been a standout drive for Hodson.
Ultimately, he was classified 27th overall and 10th in the TA2 Series, but it wasn’t all disappointment. His pace earlier in the race showed real promise, and his ability to make up ground throughout the weekend didn’t go unnoticed.
“The car felt really good, and I was able to get some moves in early. It’s a shame how it ended,” said Hodson
“We came here with a plan to learn the track, and I was able to make gains each time I went out. Overall, it was a good weekend; just disappointed with how it ended”
Hodson was awarded the “Big Braker” Award, which is given to the driver who made the biggest inroads over the event.
Ben Gomersall was declared the TA2 race winner, while Todd Hazelwood took the overall Trans Am honours, followed by Nathan Herne and Blake Tracey. Fellow Kiwi Aaron Prosser finished 13th in TA2 and 32nd overall.
For Hodson, the weekend was a mix of highs, heartbreak, and hard lessons. Still, overall, it was crucial insight and experience on a track known to be unforgiving but one of the best in the world.
The young Kiwi will return to Bathurst in October for the Super2 Series, now with more mountain miles under his belt and a fierce hunger to tame the track once and for all.
Header Image: Speed Shots Photography
