The Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series will welcome another series debutant later this month, with Jude Bargwanna entered for Race Phillip Island.
Cousin of current series runner-up, Ben Bargwanna, Jude will contest the third round of the season in the same Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR Jordan Cox guided to four victories in 2021.
The talented rising star is the third driver to debut in the series this season, with Glenn Nirwan and Marcus LaDelle having made their first appearances in TCR earlier this year.
Purchase tickets to Race Phillip Island via motorsporttickets.com.au
The 19-year-old teenager enters the series as a champion in his own right, having won the Kumho V8 Touring Car title last year after two seasons of open-wheel racing in Formula Ford and S5000.
Following a successful test day in the Alfa Romeo at Phillip Island with Garry Rogers Motorsport, Jude was looking forward to getting his 2024 season underway.
“I’m stoked to go racing, I haven’t raced a car since November last year,” Jude said.
“To get the opportunity to jump in one of these TCR cars, I’m super thankful. It’s been real last minute; the deal was put together just a week ago. We’re here with two car trailers and just Dad and myself running the car at the moment.
“We’ll run our own show here at Jude Bargwanna Motorsport, I’ve called up a few school mates to come in and help us next week at Phillip Island. It’s real exciting, to be running our own thing, and something I’ve been looking forward to.
“I watched the last race in Tassie and got on the phone to Barry pretty much the next day, and we had a chat about leasing a car. I know TCR is a great formula and I’ve been following it for a while with Ben in the category, I’ve also worked with GRM at the racetrack on these cars a few times as well.
“I have had some good results at Phillip Island in Formula Ford and other categories, it’s a special place in Australian motorsport and one of the best circuits in the category. At this stage we don’t have a lot of expectations, it’s going to be very new coming off what I’ve driven previously.
“I’m just looking forward to getting in the car, and we’ll take it round by round.”
The Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series form part of a bumper schedule at Race Phillip Island, and will join the Monochrome GT4 Australia Series, Trico Trans Am, Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS, Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Australia and the Workhorse Radical Cup Australia.
Buy tickets for Race Phillip Island.
Race Phillip Island takes place at the famous Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on 12-14 April.
