Heimgartner expects rookie Evans to fire
Andre Heimgartner expects countryman Jaxon Evans to impress in his rookie Supercars campaign despite facing a “massive learning curve."
Evans, a Porsche Carrera Cup Australia champion and star of the marque’s junior program, has replaced Jack Smith in Brad Jones Racing’s SCT Logistics Chevrolet for the 2024 Repco Supercars Championship.
The 27-year-old raced with Smith in the 2022 and 2023 enduros, and impressed despite having little prior experience in Supercar machinery.
Despite his relative inexperience in Supercars, Evans boasts an enviable racing record that also includes starts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Daytona 24 Hour and 12 Hours of Sebring.
Evans won the 2020 Porsche Carrera Cup France title, finished second in the 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup, and also enjoyed success in Porsche Carrera Cup Germany, European Le Mans, World Endurance Championship and ADAC GT Masters.
For Heimgartner, Evans has a challenge ahead to adapt to the Gen3 Camaro, but believes his fellow New Zealander to do well.
“Yeah, the Kiwis are always good,” Heimgartner joked to Supercars.com.
“He’s a good guy, he fits in really well, and I'm excited to have him at the team.
"It’s great to have another overseas talent to measure against us. He did a great job with Jack in the enduros.
“I think he’ll do well. No doubt it’s a massive learning curve, but I’m sure he’ll get on top of it really quickly.”
Evans will start his full-time Supercars career at the familiar battleground of Mount Panorama, where he has made two of his three career Supercars starts.
He is also part of an all-star Porsche entry at the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour, which will be held a week before the Thrifty Bathurst 500 on February 23-25.
“It's a funny label to have, that’s for sure,” Evans told Supercars.com when asked about the rookie label.
“It’s an appropriate label when it comes to Supercars, but it’s nice when people recognise what I’ve achieved here and overseas.
"I think laying down goals for results could be a bit ambitious. But collectively with SCT and BJR, we have clear intentions of what we want to be achieving.
“I want to show what I’m capable of. There’s still a few unknowns — as a co-driver, you’re not always stacked up against the main drivers on track.
“We want to prove we can move further up the grid and achieve solid results so by November, we can be proud of what we have achieved.”
Heimgartner and Evans will test at Winton Motor Raceway on Wednesday February 7 ahead of the season-opening Thrifty Bathurst 500. Tickets are on sale now.
