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First-year Touring Car Masters racer Dave Casey broke through for his maiden category victory at Mount Panorama, leading from pole to the flag in the Bathurst Trophy race.
Driving the Seven82 Motors–supported Holden VH Commodore built by Bendigo Retro Muscle Cars and carrying HDT sponsorship for the event, Casey controlled the race from the front under heavy pressure from David Hender’s Holden Torana A9X. Adam Garwood charged from deep in the field to complete the podium.
Casey’s win came on one of Australian motorsport’s biggest stages, with the Bathurst 1000 weekend drawing a packed crowd and a national television audience. For a rookie in his debut TCM season, the result was a statement — not just about pace, but about racecraft and composure in a field packed with seasoned touring-car racers.
The Trophy race was one of the early events on the Bathurst program, but it provided no shortage of drama. Casey converted pole position into an early lead and managed the gap through the opening laps as Hender settled into second.
Hender’s team made significant changes to the A9X overnight, and the car was visibly improved as a result. The Torana kept Casey honest for most of the race, and the gap between the two leaders rarely stretched beyond a few car lengths.
The only major interruption came late in the race when a Safety Car period erased Casey’s advantage and set up a short restart sprint. Casey responded with a clean restart, maintaining his lead through the final corners and crossing the line ahead of Hender.
Garwood’s charge through the field was one of the talking points after the flag. The third-place finisher had plenty of ground to make up after a difficult qualifying session, but his race pace was among the strongest in the field.
TCM Category Manager Dean Bryant said the race showcased everything the category has to offer.
“Dave Casey started on pole and led the whole way, which was pretty impressive to see with a really strong field behind him,” Bryant said.
“Dave Hender ran a fairly close second in the end. They did quite a few changes to that car overnight and it benefitted from that. And Adam Garwood had a blinder, came through the field and finished third. It was a great race.”
Bryant also noted that Casey’s Commodore is running a category engine, making the win even more notable in a class that allows considerable freedom for engine builders.
The timing of Casey’s first win could hardly have been better for his backers. The VH Commodore wore HDT-inspired colours at Bathurst, linking the car to one of the most celebrated names in Australian touring-car history.
Holden Dealer Team is perhaps best remembered for its association with Peter Brock, whose Bathurst success made the HDT badge iconic. For that livery to be on the top step at Mount Panorama on Great Race weekend added meaning beyond the result itself.
The connection also gave the car instant visual recognition, particularly on television shots climbing the Mountain. Casey’s car carried the familiar HDT look, complete with the white bonnet stripes and dramatic colour scheme.
But the HDT-inspired livery also created some off-track discussion in the lead-up to Bathurst. Recent rounds had raised questions over a white chevron element featured on the car. Bryant said the matter was settled before the event.
“We had to address the issue with the white chevron, because that’s the actual trademarked item, and we’ve removed it totally,” he said.
“For all intents and purposes, and on TV and everything else, the cars still look exactly like they did before. So it’s no big deal.”
The solution allowed teams to keep the visual impact of the historic liveries while avoiding any trademark complications.
The battle for second place was also significant in TCM folklore. Hender’s A9X is the ex-John Bowe car, a machine that Bryant says has more race and championship history than any other car in the category.
John Bowe was one of Australia’s most versatile touring-car drivers, and the A9X he campaigned in period competition became one of the most successful cars in Australian saloon-car racing. The fact that it is still running near the front of a modern TCM field shows both the strength of the original design and the quality of Hender’s preparation.
Bryant believes consistency, not raw speed, is the main remaining piece for Hender.
“I spend a lot of time looking at all the splits and watching the races back after each round, and he always has a best sector at every round he goes to,” Bryant said.
“He’s on the money. It’s a matter of getting consistency. Once he gets two or three of the best sector times all in the one lap, he’ll be right.”
That kind of pace has made Hender a regular front-runner, but he has yet to put all the elements together across a full race weekend.
For fans of the category, Casey’s rise has added some much-needed colour. The rookie is known as the ‘Flying Mudflap’ thanks to the mullet he wears with pride, and he has built a strong following on social media.
His personality has helped introduce TCM to a younger audience, and his on-track performance has backed up the growing buzz around him. A first win at Bathurst gives that following plenty to celebrate.
Casey’s win also delivered a strong result for the network of supporters behind his program: Bendigo Retro Muscle Cars, Seven82 Motors and HDT all had reason to celebrate on the sport’s biggest weekend of the year.
It is the kind of result that can change the trajectory of a rookie season. Coming to Bathurst with solid speed, he leaves with a victory and the confidence that comes from beating some of the most experienced racers in the category.
Touring Car Masters has long been one of Australia’s most popular support categories, blending historic machinery with close, aggressive racing. The cars are often described as Australian muscle cars, and the category’s mix of sound, speed and nostalgia makes it a fan favourite at events like Bathurst.
For international fans, TCM offers a flavour of Australian motorsport that is distinct from modern Supercars racing. The grid is made up of iconic Holdens, Fords and other machines from the 1960s, 70s and 80s, with drivers prepared to race hard but with respect for the historic value of their equipment.
The category’s popularity has been boosted by strong television coverage across Fox and Kayo in Australia, and races like this one provide plenty of highlights for highlights packages around the world.
Bryant is expecting the fight to continue on Sunday, when TCM returns to Mount Panorama for its next race.
“It’ll be red hot,” Bryant said.
“If you look at the time split over the top half a dozen cars, I don’t believe there’s anybody who could say for certain who’s going to win. If you ask the first six or seven drivers, they’ll tell you they’re going to win. That’s how competitive it is.”
He also pointed to the atmospheric conditions at Bathurst in the morning, which can make the TCM cars sound even more spectacular.
“The TCM cars make plenty of noise and plenty of power up here. At that time of the morning, with a bit of moisture in the air, they’ll be a bit louder than normal and a bit quicker than normal. It’ll be interesting to see the results.”
Casey’s first TCM win puts his name into the category’s record books, but it also signals that he intends to be a regular contender rather than a one-round factor.
Leading from pole at Bathurst is no easy task. The circuit punishes mistakes and rewards bravery, and handling the restart pressure after a Safety Car period shows a maturity beyond his limited TCM experience.
With the backing of a strong team and the attention that comes with an HDT-liveried car at Bathurst, Casey now has a result that will make him a marked man for the rest of the season.
For Touring Car Masters, the victory is also proof that new names can still break through in a category often dominated by familiar drivers. The 2026 season has already produced close racing, and Sunday’s return to Mount Panorama promises more of the same.
As the TCM pit lane packs up and looks toward the next race, the one name everyone will be watching is Dave Casey. The Flying Mudflap is no longer just a popular character in the paddock; he is a race winner on the Mountain.
