BJR takes PIRTEK Pit Stop Challenge victory

Brad Jones Racing has taken a breakthrough PIRTEK Pit Stop Challenge triumph after locking out both places in the grand final.

With Bathurst rain a fortnight ago forcing the postponement of the sudden death match-ups, the semi-finals played out on Thursday afternoon as part of the Vodafone Gold Coast 600 build-up.

Tim Slade’s #14 crew got the Albury squad off to a flyer by comprehensively accounting for the Red Bull Holden Racing Team’s #888 Commodore in the first semi-final.

They then backed up that effort by efficiently servicing Nick Percat’s #8 to victory in the second semi-final to defeat Chaz Mostert’s Tickford Racing Mustang.

BJR had been knocked out in the inaugural 2017 semis before narrowly losing to DJR Team Penske last year; in a final so close that Roger Penske split the cheque with BJR.

Team owner Brad Jones cut a delighted figure to secure this year’s $20,000 winners’ cheque and Golden Rattle Gun trophy.

“The guys, they do an amazing job,” Jones said on Supercars Trackside.

“We have got a car [at the workshop dedicated for pitstop practice], we practice all the time. They’re just very thorough.

“We’ve had instances like everyone this year where there’s been race meetings where we haven’t got the result but at the end of the day to have two cars in the top four has been amazing.”

The all-BJR grand final turned out to be a light-hearted affair, with commentators Greg Murphy and Mark Larkham jumping behind the wheel of the #8 and #14, respectively.

Murphy crossed the line first but not without the help of Percat, who did his level best to delay the sister Commodore. 

The BJR team will now turn its attention to a return to form at Surfers Paradise after a troubled Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

“It was a pretty short [Bathurst] debrief to be honest, but this is a great event,” Jones said.

“It’s a very, very different type of race. Even though you have got the two drivers [per car], there’s so much more risk involved here than at Bathurst.

“I feel like this is a great start to the weekend and we’ll see what happens.”