As the new season approaches, BJR is gearing up for a significant transition with their campaign featuring Toyota vehicles. Based in Albury, this team will utilize Supras driven by André Heimgartner, Macauley Jones, and newcomer Cam Hill. In a strategic move, SCT Motorsport has transitioned to collaborate with Triple Eight.
BJR has also made a noteworthy personnel change, bringing in the highly esteemed engineer Phil Keed. Previously, Keed was at the helm of the #14 car driven by Bryce Fullwood; this season he will now lead Heimgartner's #8 vehicle.
In an interesting turn, Tony Woodward, who was Heimgartner’s engineer, has departed from BJR after a decade-long tenure. He is set to take on the role of engineering manager and engineer for James Golding at Blanchard Racing Team.
Meanwhile, Keed’s former position on the newly driven #14 by Hill will be assumed by Jason Bonney, who is moving up from his role as a data engineer. Additionally, Randall Chua has been elevated from data engineer to race engineer for Macauley Jones’ car, swapping roles with Paul Scalzo.
Scalzo will continue to oversee engineering for all three cars, while Julian Stannard, who previously managed the SCT entry, has shifted into a performance engineer capacity.
Team owner Brad Jones emphasized the importance of this restructuring within the engineering team, stating, "We recognized the necessity to reorganize our engineering department as we enter 2026, especially with our reduction to three cars and the development of the Toyota program within our setup."
He further expressed confidence in the team's capabilities: "What we’ve accomplished with this restructuring leverages our strengths. We have an impressive array of talent in our team, and I am optimistic that they will meet the objectives we've established."
Jones is a firm believer in nurturing talent and providing opportunities within the organization. He praised both Jason and Randall for their consistent performance and dedication: "They are not only competent but also exceptionally skilled, having put in tremendous effort for our team. I am eager to see what Jase and Randy will achieve."
Currently, BJR is under considerable pressure as they prepare their three Toyotas for the upcoming season, having committed to joining the homologation team Walkinshaw TWG for this new initiative.
"This year is monumental for our team, and I cannot emphasize that enough," Jones remarked. "We all feel the weight of expectations, but that’s when our team excels. I am incredibly proud of the progress we are making with the Toyota project and eagerly anticipate getting back to racing."
For those interested in the technical aspects, details about the Toyota V8 Supercars engine have recently been revealed by a UK firm, prompting excitement in the motorsport community.
