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Third-generation Bargwanna family duo to take on Bathurst 6 Hour
A remarkable third generation of drivers representing the Bargwanna family will make their endurance racing debut at this year’s Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour.
The family will enter a Volkswagen Golf GTi with cousins 19-year-old Ben and 16 year-old Jude Bargwanna sharing the driving duties.
Tickets, camping and corporate tickets are on sale for the 2021 event now – just click the links to purchase online.
EVENT TICKETING >> https://bathurst6hour.com.au/event-info/ticketing/
EVENT CAMPING >> https://bathurst6hour.com.au/event-info/camping/
CORPORATE HOSPITALITY >> https://bathurst6hour.com.au/event-info/hospitality/
Bathurst has been a very special place for the Bargwanna family, enjoying success at the hallowed 6.2km racing circuit in various motorsport events and categories across three generations.
The Bargwanna Bathurst story starts with family patriarchs Harry and Alf who first competed together in the late 1960’s.
They were followed by cousins Jason and Scott, both aged 20 at the time, teaming up in small family-run team to join the elite group of Bathurst winners by taking out a class victory in the 1992 Bathurst 1000.
This was the same epic race that ended prematurely due to major accident at the top of Conrod straight in abysmal weather conditions.
The red flag that marked the end of that race handed the overall victory to Mark Skaife and Jim Richards (Nissan GTR), but also the Bargwanna cousins in their family-prepared Toyota Corolla.
Both Jason and Scott Bargwanna progressed to enjoy successful racing careers, following in the footsteps of their fathers Harry and Alf, and still race to this day.
Jason Bargwanna won the Bathurst 1000 with Garry Rogers Motorsport – his current Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Team – in 2000, while Scott Bargwanna scored the Class A2 victory in the 2017 Bathurst 6 Hour.
The family hopes the successful history repeats this year as this small family team enters this year’s Bathurst Six Hour Production Car classic with another Bargwanna / Bargwanna cousin driver pairing.
The third family generation to take on the mountain are teenage cousins, Ben Bargwanna (19) and Jude Bargwanna (16).
Ben, who is starring in his debut season of TCR Australia racing this year, and his young cousin Jude, who is currently third in the National Formula Ford Championship, will compete in this year’s Bathurst Six Hour with the support of Australia’s most trusted supplier of tools, parts, equipment and accessories to the trade: Burson Auto Parts.
The pair will share a dual-liveried Burson Auto Parts/Burson Garage VW Golf GTI in the ultra-competitive Class D category with the car to be overseen by the two senior generations of Bargwanna’s – Harry, Alf, Jason and Scott all lending a hand to run the team.
“This is something very special – for Scott and I to have shared that result so many years ago and to be able to come back to Bathurst as a family is pretty cool,” Jason Bargwanna said.
Added Scott: ”We have always had great success here at this special place, but I think I am more excited and a lot more nervous watching Jude roll out of the Bathurst pit lane for the first time at only 16 years old.”
Ben Bargwanna will be on double duty for the Easter weekend, competing in his regular Burson Garage Peugeot 308 TCR car and the Burson Auto Parts Golf GTI in the Six Hour enduro.
He is already a Bathurst winner, having won the inaugural Bathurst Hyundai Excel Challenge in 2018 at only 16 years of age.
“Jumping from left hand drive to right hand drive is going to be a fair challenge for the weekend, but I can’t wait to do my first real endurance race at Mount Panorama,” he said.
“I would love to emulate Dad and Scott’s success – even to the point we are racing as number 71, just as they did back in 1992.”
Jude Bargwanna is currently in the middle of a successful Australian Formula Ford Championship campaign, holding third in the championship after the opening round three weeks ago in Sydney.
“I am as nervous as I am excited and I just can’t wait to get to Bathurst and have a go,” he said.
“Dad has had great success there and it means a lot to be able to race there with Ben and the whole family. I am sure between Dad, Jason and Ben I will be able to short track my learning curve, and genuinely believe we can get a solid result come Sunday afternoon,” the 16 year old stated.
The Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst Six Hour Production Car race will be held over Easter weekend April 2-4 at Mount Panorama, and will be broadcast live and free on the screens of Seven.