THERE will be a major change for TA2 Muscle Car Series competitors next week as the penultimate round of the season takes place at Mallala Motorsport Park.

The V8 category has executed a tyre supplier switch, from Goodyear to Hoosier, since Round 5 last month at Queensland Raceway.

TA2 had been aligned with Hoosier until a Goodyear deal was struck for this year, which awkwardly put it off-kilter with sister category Trans Am where identical machinery is used but Hoosier tyres had remained.

It’s known that the differences between the Hoosier and Goodyear necessitated substantial set-up variations for competitors crossing over between Trans Am and TA2.

So, why the sudden move?

“The two-driver event at QR was so popular and so well-attended with 26 cars that we burned through our stock of Goodyear tyres,” Matt MacKelden, category manager for both TA2 and Trans Am, explained to V8 Sleuth.

“So we needed to make a decision… and we have been able to enter into a commercial arrangement with Hoosier moving forward for next year.

“And as part of that, we have decided we will change for the final two rounds of TA2 to the Hoosier product, the same tyre as we run in Trans Am.”

A Hoosier tyre. Pic: Supplied

Mitch Dumesny of Hoosier indicated to V8 Sleuth the multi-category arrangement is set to cover season 2027 too.

“Obviously it’s great to be able to get everyone back onto the same tyre,” he said.

“I know it was causing quite a bit of confusion for everybody being one series on one and another series on the other, so a lot of competitors are happy it’s back.

“The tyres are a great fit for the category.

“I think Hoosier has kind of positioned itself as one of the go-to products in V8-powered categories with Trans Am, TA2, S5000, Touring Car Masters. When you look at a V8, it kind of all steers towards everything we’ve got.

“It’s great to be able to continue to support the class as it grows into the future.”

Jarrod Hughes, who made his Repco Supercars Championship debut last weekend for Erebus Motorsport in The Bend 500, is the runaway points leader in TA2.

Following Mallala on September 26-28, the series will conclude at Winton on October 31 to November 2.