New Hammerhead on the Horizon: Team USA Ready to Attack WTAC 2025

Prepare for an automotive spectacle this September as a new contender charges into the 2025 Yokohama World Time Attack Challenge: the Horizon Motorsports Hammerhead. This custom-built 1973 Pontiac Trans Am, owned by father-and-son team Russell and Cavan Cameron, makes its highly anticipated international debut, with veteran driver Cole Powelson at the helm in the elite EMTRON Australia Pro Class. While the name might stir memories for long-time WTAC fans, make no mistake: this is not the MCA Hammerhead. This completely fresh entry from the USA is a meticulously crafted masterpiece, set to electrify spectators outside the US for the very first time.

The Hammerhead is a true family matter. Russell's deep expertise as a former IndyCar crew chief and Cavan's hands-on passion, even earning high school credit for his build contributions, forged a machine of unparalleled precision. This isn't just a car; it's a statement of dedication, with a level of detail in its engineering that simply cannot be missed by any motorsport enthusiast.

Beneath its iconic Trans Am skin lies a chassis engineered not from scratch in isolation, but around genuine, race-proven IndyCar components from Russell's career. This daring approach allowed them to integrate cutting-edge performance. Power comes from an LS-based 400 cubic-inch V8, twin-Garrett turbocharged to deliver an astonishing 1800HP.

A video from Vibrant Performance detailing the Horizon Hammerhead when it was unveiled at SEMA 2023

This immense output is transferred through a Reynard Champ Car six-speed transaxle. Crucially, the engine is set back an extreme 28 inches (~71cm), achieving a remarkable 49:51 weight distribution within the mere 3,100lb (~1400kg) chassis. This radical design promises exceptional balance and brutal on-track dynamism.

Specifically for its WTAC 2025 debut, the Camerons have further sharpened their creation. Verus Engineering have helped hone the aerodynamics package for superior downforce and efficiency, critical for time attack. New MoTeC electronics upgrades provide granular control over every aspect of its immense power, enabling peak performance. Custom Forgeline wheels, eight-piston Brembo brakes and Yokohama racing slicks complete a package designed for ultimate grip and stopping power, ready to challenge the WTAC clock.

The excitement for WTAC 2025 is already building, with key partners expressing their enthusiasm for the event's global draw. "Garrett Advancing Motion is proud to once again support the World Time Attack Challenge. We're excited to be back at one of the most electrifying motorsport events on the planet - and this year we are turning up the boost," states Paul Carlsson, Garrett Advancing Motion’s Pacific General Manager. 

"To further our commitment to the WTAC community, we're bringing over two powerhouse American race cars, this amazing Horizon Motorsports Hammerhead and Feras Qartoumy’s Corvette, to take part in the competition. Garrett are also proud to be the naming partners of the Garrett International Drift Cup at WTAC which will light up the night as usual with tyre-shredding action. Let's push the limits of performance together - see you at the track!"

Supported by partners like Vibrant, Radium, Garrett, and Sherwin-Williams Paint, this father-and-son built marvel is primed not just to compete, but to redefine what’s possible for a classic American muscle car on the global time attack stage. Spectators at WTAC 2025 will witness a machine engineered for serious speed – one with genuine potential to set very, very good lap times and make an unforgettable impression. Don’t miss out on seeing the debut of this spectacular build at WTAC 2025, get your tickets today!