JOHN Bowe is set for his now-annual return to the Touring Car Masters class next week at Sydney Motorsport Park’s Apex Steel Muscle Car Masters aboard Bendigo Retro Racing’s HQ Monaro GTS 350.

All told, in over 300 TCM races contested in his career, the two-time Bathurst 1000 winner has logged 106 victories to date.

Since debuting in the category in 2008, Bowe has campaigned an assortment of cars, from a Chevrolet Camaro SS to ‘Mustang Sally’, and his former Holden Torana, which also came out of the Bendigo Retro stables.

Bowe most recently made an appearance in the class at Sandown last year, where he was enlisted to debut David Schramm’s new Holden Torana A9X, which was built by the Gary O’Brien-led squad.

Schramm has subsequently commandeered the controls of the machine for the current season.

Prior to that outing, Bowe deputised for Steven Johnson aboard the Hancock Racing Ford Mustang at Sydney Motorsport Park in 2024.

Since Sandown last November, the Bendigo Retro Racing outfit has been fielding Dave Casey’s HDT-throwback-inspired Commodore, with Bowe having been enlisted to help Casey come to grips with the car, including during private testing.

Bowe recently made an appearance behind the wheel of an ex-Murray Carter Ford Sierra at the Winton Festival of Speed.

Elsewhere in the Sydney TCM field will be DJR Supercars ace Rylan Gray aboard his dad Jeremy’s Ford Capri, while Jamie Tilley will return in his XY GTHO Falcon.

The field, which is set to exceed 30 cars, will also include all of the usual front runners, including Steven Johnson, Ryan Hansford, Andrew Fisher, Scott Cameron and Danny Buzadzic, with Marcus Zukanovic expected to return after a hefty shunt last time out in Townsville.

The Touring Car Masters is just one of the highlights of a stacked Muscle Car Masters program.

Joining them on track will be the National Sports Sedan Series, Heritage Touring Cars (Group C & A), Group N Historic Touring Cars, Five-Litre Touring Cars, Group S Historic Sports Cars, HQ Holdens and the 1960s & ‘70s-oriented Australian Trans Am category.

Tickets are currently available online.

The Apex Steel Muscle Car Masters is an advertising partner of V8 Sleuth.

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