BJR engine escapes major damage

Andre Heimgartner will race in a spare chassis and engine following his Tailem Bend crash.

Heimgartner suffered a major start-line accident with Thomas Randle 10 days ago.

Both drivers were hospitalised and later cleared of injury, and both will race at Sandown next weekend.

Tickford Racing had the luxury of seating Randle in a race-ready car, which Zak Best campaigned at The Bend.

However, Brad Jones Racing wasn’t as lucky, with the crashed chassis written off.

A fire also broke out near the engine in the seconds after the impact.

The chassis, BJR 012, will never see a race track again due to severe damage.

The Albury team has spent the last week turning its spare chassis, BJR 007, into Heimgartner’s new racer.

The engine in Heimgartner’s car avoided major damage in the 38g impact.

However, BJR has left no stone unturned in its efforts to reuse the engine.

The rear engine mounts were broken in the crash, with the impact forcing the oil and water pumps into the engine.

The original engine has been sent to KRE Race Engines for a service, and will run on the dynometer.

A spare engine has since been fitted in BJR 007, which has race-winning pedigree for the team.

BJR expects the engine to be returned ahead of Sandown, where the team plans to shake it down at the Monday ride day.

Jones praised his team’s efforts, and expects the spare car to be completed well ahead of Sandown.

“The job the guys have done is amazing,” Jones told Supercars.com.

“When all the big things are in, like the engine, who can focus on attention to detail.

“The big things impact the speed the car gets finished.

“We’re on track to have it finished next week in time to load it up for Sandown.

"It’s now about all the little things really, like suspension. It’s going really well."

The 2022 season will resume at Sandown on August 19-21. Purchase your tickets now.