News
Jude Bargwanna ready for V8TC debut at Phillip Island
A famous family name is set to return to the Supercars scene, with young-gun Jude Bargwanna bound to make his Kumho V8 Touring Cars debut at Phillip Island next weekend.
The 18-year-old will join Anderson Motorsport on the grid as part of the second round of the Shannons SpeedSeries bill – paving the way for a family reunion as his cousin Ben will also be also compete as part of the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia series on the same weekend.
As a third-generation driver under the famous Bargwanna name, Jude has made his first big leap into achieving his dream of one day becoming a Repco Supercars Championship driver.
Having never previously competed in a V8 Supercar, the New South Welshman looks forward to tackling a brand-new challenge.
“I am very excited, it’s cool to partner with Anderson Motorsport and get in a V8 supercar for the first time, it’s been a cool lead up to Phillip Island,” he said.
“I have recently done Formula Ford and S5000’s, so this is my first time in a V8, but I have gotten quite comfortable in the car in the lead up to next week.
“We have done a test day at the Sydney Motorsport Park, and it went really well so I will now do some simulator work in the coming week, and we will then jump into the car Friday for practice.”
Having previously competed in other categories, taking a step closer to achieving his dream was a no brainer.
“My aspiration for my career is to get to the Supercars series, and the more people you talk to they tell you to get on the V8 bandwagon as quickly as possible,” Bargwanna explained.
“It’s getting inside a supercar quick so then you can learn how they handle with a lot of grip and horsepower.
“Our idea is we look to this series as not only is it an affordable option, but a great opportunity to get in the car and learn all the ropes.
“It’s a great addition behind Super 2 and 3, it provides a great platform to grow.”
When asked about his expectations heading into his debut, there is no doubt that winning is the only thing on his mind.
“We are going to take it as it comes but we are here to win, I don’t go racing to come second or third, we are here to win and take home that championship,” he added.
“We joined a really well-known team in Anderson Motorsport, and they have a lot of experience behind them, Michael and the team are really bringing me up to speed”.
Winning runs in the blood of the Bargwanna family, coming from a long line of racers going back to Alf and Harry in the 1960’s.
Not only that, but his father Scott is also a former Bathurst 1000 winner, and his cousin Ben is excelling in the TCR scene on both a national and international level.
“Having my dad on my side who has a lot of experience is great, so I will be taking it all on my shoulder and using it all to my advantage,” he stated.
“It’s good to have the experience there, I can take what I need but at the end of the day I’m here to make a name for myself and forge my own pathway.”
Tickets for the opening round of the season are still available via motorsporttickets.com.au.
For those who are unable to make the trip to Phillip Island, Stan Sport will provide live and uninterrupted coverage from most of Saturday and Sunday’s action, while 9Gem will also broadcast three hours of Saturday afternoon’s racing.
The new era of the Kumho V8 Touring Car Series kicks off at the Shannons SpeedSeries Phillip Island event on 12-14 May.