Jason Bargwanna joins MINI CHALLENGE from Sandown in a two-car team with cousin, Scott. The duo has received backing from Trivett Classic MINI Garage and Matchmaster TV Reception Systems.
After becoming the first ever MINI CHALLENGE UBER-STAR at Eastern Creek, Jason Bargwanna will complete the remainder of 2008 in the Series, this time with cousin, Scott in a two car super-team, starting this weekend at Sandown.
Racing together isn’t new for the cousins – the Bargwanna/Bargwanna combination first teamed up at the 1992 Bathurst 1000 in a Corolla, taking a class win. Now each has his own MINI to play with!
The arrangement has come together with major support from Trivett Classic MINI Garage in Parramatta (Sydney) and Matchmaster TV Reception Systems. It will be a family affair, the cars being run under the Bargwanna Motorsport banner out of Sydney.
The boys will utilise the racing numbers of their fathers – twins, Alf (Scott) and Harry (Jason) Bargwanna - #79 and #97 respectively.
"Bargwannas have come out of the woodwork to get this deal pulled together for Sandown," the former Bathurst 1000 winner said. "We’re looking good and cannot wait for the challenge. We want to be competitive in this deal, but we really want to have some fun as well.
"It’s a good opportunity for us to involve our families in our racing. Scott and I grew up at race tracks watching our fathers and this gives us the opportunity to do the same with our sons and also involve our fathers closely. MINI CHALLENGE is a great environment to go racing in and do this sort of thing."
National Manager – MINI, Justin Hocevar welcomed the duo on board.
"It’s great to see how enthusiastic top level drivers are about MINI CHALLENGE," he said. "Bringing the likes of Jason and Scott on board is fantastic for the Series and really adds to the extremely high calibre of driver that is already competing in MINI CHALLENGE – many of which wouldn’t be out of place at the highest levels of International motorsport.
"The racing at Sandown should be amazing, if Barbagallo was any indication," Mr. Hocevar continued. "The drafting duels from these evenly matched MINI John Cooper Works CHALLENGE racecars on the long straights will be mind-blowing."
Whilst Jason’s exploits as a V8 Supercar pilot are well documented, Scott has forged a name for himself on the Australian scene, winning a NSW Formula Ford Championship as well as tasting success in a variety of different categories, most recently in a giant-killing Lotus in the Australian GT Championship.
Jason will partner Tony D’Alberto in the Bottle-O V8 Supercar at the L&H 500 at Phillip Island and the Super Cheap Auto 1000 at Bathurst, in addition to his MINI CHALLENGE commitments at both events.
The Bargwannas form part of the biggest MINI CHALLENGE field in Australia yet, some 19 MINI CHALLENGE racecars entered at Sandown for the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend event.
The man they are all chasing at the moment is DecoRug Motorsport driver, Grant Denyer, who leads the way on 444 points. He is 12 ahead of Neil McFadyen (M3 Motorsport) and Denyer’s DecoRug team-mate, Paul Stokell.
MINI CHALLENGE utilises identical MINI John Cooper Works CHALLENGE racecars that develop 210 horsepower from their turbo-charged 1.6 litre motors. The eight round MINI CHALLENGE racing Series partners the V8 Supercar Championship Series around Australia and has attracted a television package on the Seven Network encompassing over seven hours’ coverage.
POINTS AFTER ROUND 3 of 8 (Top 10):
1. Grant Denyer – 444
2. Neil McFadyen – 432
3. Paul Stokell – 345
4. Paul Fiore – 330
5. Nathan Geier – 330
6. Gary Young – 288
7. Todd Fiore – 198
8. David Turner – 180
9. Damien White – 156
10. Nathan Callaghan – 138
2008 MINI CHALLENGE CALENDAR:
Round 1: March 7-9 – Eastern Creek, Sydney, NSW (Round Winner: Neil McFadyen)
Round 2: April 4-6 – Wakefield Park, Goulburn, NSW (Round Winner: Nathan Geier)
Round 3: May 9-11 – Barbagallo, Perth, WA (Round Winner: Damien White)
Round 4: June 7-9 – Sandown, Melbourne, Vic
Round 5: September 12-14 – Phillip Island, Vic
Round 6: October 9-12 – Mount Panorama, Bathurst, NSW
Round 7: November 21-23 – Symmons Plains, Tasmania
Round 8: December 4-7 – Oran Park, Sydney, NSW
W: www.minichallenge.com.au
- Matt Payne, also photo -
