Mid-season test answers questions for BJR
Brad Jones Racing has completed their first mid-season test at Winton Motor Raceway with all four Gen3 Camaros.
After the team’s first attempt to get the test underway on Wednesday (May 31) was a washout, the Albury based squad ventured back out to the local track basking in beautiful sunshine.
The crucial test allows for the team to focus on tuning in the Gen3 Camaros after the first four rounds of the Repco Supercars Championship.
Coming to Winton with theories formed over those four rounds on how to maximise performance, the team was given a chance today to validate those ideas.
In action across the day were the four full time drivers, Andre Heimgartner (#8 R&J Batteries Camaro), Bryce Fullwood (#14 Middy’s Electrical Camaro), Macauley Jones (#96 Pizza Hut Camaro), and Jack Smith (#4 SCT Logistics Camaro).
Joining them were co-drivers Dean Fiore (#14 Middy’s Electrical Camaro), Dale Wood (#8 R&J Batteries Camaro), and Jordan Boys (#96 Pizza Hut Camaro).
They completed a mammoth amount of running between all drivers throughout the day, which arms the team with an arsenal of data to now pore through before the next round.
The test gave co-drivers their first taste of the new breed of Supercar and allowed them to get comfortable at the wheel of the Camaro.
It was also an opportunity for them to be well prepared before the pre-endurance season testing outing later in the year.
The day at Winton comes just a handful of weeks before the fifth round of the Supercars Championship in Darwin (June 16-18).
What our drivers had to say…
Andre Heimgartner
Supercars Driver, #8 R&J Batteries Camaro
"We just went round and round and tried loads of stuff. We just had some questions after the last few rounds I think we helped answer. I look forward to implementing some of them in a couple of weeks
"It's good to get Dale some laps. obviously cars are different to what it was last year. So for him to get some laps and adjust. He did a great job. So yeah, fairly pretty positive about that."
Bryce Fullwood
Supercars Driver, #14 Middy's Electrical Camaro
"Obviously, we had some complications coming into today and I wasn't exactly sure how the day was gonna unfold. I think probably one of our more positive days here at Winton. I think we have learnt a lot and answered some questions. Pretty happy and looking forward to going into Darwin.
"Dean was awesome and it was great to get Dean some laps. He obviously hasn't driven Gen3 car so it's a little bit hard trying to give him laps obviously when we have such a big test program. He did a good job today, I think he'll leave today knowing what to expect out of these cars."
Jack Smith
Supercars Driver, #14 SCT Logistics Camaro
"Some pretty tricky parts of the day trying to get things right. We tested a lot of stuff had a really good day. A lot more things in our toolbox now than we did before."
Macauley Jones
Supercars Driver, #96 Pizza Hut Camaro
"I think we had a good day. We got a lot done that we wanted to get done actually. And it's been good to have a test day with Donners [Andrew Donelly, engineer]. It's our first season together and I enjoy working with him. And I think he did a really good job today actually. We're getting a better relationship and communication."