BARGWANNA and Supercars; it’s a well-known combination that will roar back to life this year.
Jude Bargwanna, the nephew of Bathurst 1000 winner Jason, has signed a deal with Anderson Motorsport to contest the full 2023 V8 Touring Car Series.
The 18-year-old will drive FPR 808, the Ford FG Falcon which has powered 35 race wins across three tiers of Supercars and two titles (2015 Super2 with Cameron Waters and 2022 Super3 with Brad Vaughan).
The chassis now has the opportunity to win a third different crown, given the reborn V8TC has effectively become the fourth tier of Supercars – albeit housed under the Australian Racing Group umbrella.
Bargwanna is stepping up from the Australian Formula Ford Championship but also has had some recent experience in S5000 and the Bathurst 6 Hour, plus laps in the ‘Mercadore’ Supercar as part of an Erebus Academy track day last August.
“I got talking to his family at a couple of events last year and notably his grandfather (Alf) actually – him and I used to race together in Historic Touring Cars,” team owner Michael Anderson, who is also fielding Zak Best in Super2 this year, told V8 Sleuth.
“We just got talking one day and I’ve been keeping an eye on Jude and basically the conversation just started from there, that they’re looking at the next step with progressing in motorsport. They looked at us and the team and we made a deal happen.
“We definitely know we have got the car and we have got the speed to help him progress further in his motorsport journey.”
Asked why they’ve opted to enter V8TC instead of Super3, with the FG eligible for both, Anderson noted the opportunity to race at the front under less pressure and at lower risk circuits as being a more conducive environment to learn in.
Bargwanna added: “Supercars is my main goal, that’s where I want to go, and I think this category is a really good option to learn the ropes of a Supercar and really hone those skills.
“I think it’s going to be a really good category to just learn before you go spend a bit more money in the Super3 and Super2 Series.
“I’m really looking forward to it. The car has obviously got a lot of pedigree, it’s a proven race winner with a rich history; I’m excited to add to the history that it’s got and am determined to have a really good year with the team.”
Bargwanna, who believes winning the title is within his reach, said he’s eager to carry forward the family legacy but is equally keen to step out of the shadows of his elders.
“This year the whole sort of idea was we’re trying to step away from that and I’m trying to move onto doing my own thing with Anderson Motorsport,” he said.
“I’m really excited to work with them as such an established team.
“Obviously Dad (Scott, 1992 Bathurst 1000 class winner co-driving with Jason) is going to be in the background, he has got a lot of experience which I am going to take under my wing, but the guys at Anderson Motorsport have got it all under control.”
Phillip Island will host the season-opener on May 12-14 before rounds at Winton, Sydney Motorsport Park, Sandown and Bathurst.
