Bright: It Will Mean A Lot For a Long Time

This year in April, the V8 Supercars returned to Pukekohe Park Raceway in New Zealand – an event that culminated in one of the most memorable wins of Jason Bright’s career.

The Team BOC driver and his crew were spurred on to earn maximum points at the ITM 400 Auckland when it was announced the highest scorer would be awarded the inaugural Jason Richards Memorial Trophy.

The trophy paid tribute to the late, great Kiwi racer who passed away in 2011 at just 35 years of age, after battling Adreno Cortical Carcinoma (ACC). Richards had been a big part of Brad Jones Racing and previously ran the #8 Commodore in the V8 Supercars Championship.

Therefore, it was one those in the team who were close to Richards, were desperate to win.

Pukekohe produced phenomenal racing, with four different winners across the four races staged.

Rookie Scott McLaughlin became the youngest ever driver to win a V8 Supercars Championship race – the Kiwi scoring the honour on home soil. Jamie Whincup followed in the second race, after an altercation with rival Mark Winterbottom on track.

But it was Bright who led the points count on the Saturday night after finishing second and fourth.

Sunday marked Will Davison’s first race win of the season, meaning he would take hold of the Championship lead.

Bright qualified 12th in the penultimate race, but carved through the field to sixth, before starting on ARMOR ALL Pole Position for the final of four. Sure enough, he stood on the top step and with his team, celebrated in honour of his friend.

“It’s going to mean a lot to me for a long time,” Bright told v8supercars.com.au.

“It was a very, very special win in my whole career, let alone this year.

“To go there and really want to win it, go to bed Saturday night leading the points and go into Sunday’s race with a lot of pressure on – knowing I had to win the race – when you do win a race with all of those things involved, it makes it an extremely special win.”

At that stage of the season BJR was arguably the form team, having won all three races at the event prior in Tasmania. Bright knew he had the equipment, and encouragement from Richards’ young daughter Sienna, saying she really wanted him to win the trophy for the first time, added to it all.

“When that trophy was announced, I really wanted to go there and try and win," Bright said. 

“We’d obviously been competitive for the first few races of the season and I knew we had the potential to win it.

“I’d won at Pukekohe before, it was a matter of going over there and doing everything right. (The trophy) did mean a lot to me before the event – it was another thing actually being the person who won it, that’s for sure.”

The Jason Richards Memorial Trophy will be awarded again in 2014, to the most successful driver over the course of the event.

And while details of 2014 race formats have not been announced, it has been stated the ITM 500 Auckland will have an extended 200km race, whereas this year was just four 100km sprints. The event will run from April 24-27, over the ANZAC Day long weekend, with one race Friday, two lots of 100km sprints Saturday and the longer race on Sunday. 

Bright enjoys racing at Pukekohe and was positive about next year’s extended running time. 

“It’s a great circuit – I was one of the lucky ones to win there back when Murph (Greg Murphy) was the King of Pukekohe in 2004, so I was looking forward to going back there… It’s a classic racing circuit from Australia and New Zealand’s motor racing history.

“I think the year’s races were all very good, we saw some good passing in the new little complex. Longer races I think will work for sure.”

Tickets for the 2014 ITM 500 Auckland went on sale on Friday – see Ticketek to purchase and for more details. The first 1000 Trackside tickets will be available at a reduced rate.  

Bright currently sits eighth in the Championship, 552 points behind leader Craig Lowndes, with 600 points on offer over the next two events, the Sargent Security Phillip Island 360 and Sydney 500.

Brad Jones Racing tests at Winton Raceway tomorrow, ahead of next event the Sargent Security Phillip Island 360, from November 22-24.