Brad Jones Racing announced this week that their long time driver Jason Bright would be replaced in their Supercars team next season by Bathurst winning Nick Percat, the young racer being put firmly in charge of the #8 BJR Commodore as of the opening round in 2017, the Clipsal 500.
Although Percat didn't get a full time drive in the series until the 2014 season when he signed with Walkinshaw Racing, he had already stood on the top step of the rostrum at the Bathurst 1000 back in 2011, followed by another podium finish there earlier this month. He also won this year's Clipsal 1000.
โIt will be great to work with the team at BJR. They are a respected Holden team and one I've wanted to work with for quite a while now,โ Nick said in a statement. โI'm super excited to start 2017 with the BJR team, especially at my home track of Adelaide where I took the Clipsal 500 win earlier this year.โ
โI couldn't be happier with the announcement and I'm looking forward to hitting the ground running. It also means I'll be working with the two Tim's again - Slade & Blanchard. I was team-mates with Slade in 2014 and Blanchard in 2015 and we worked really well together. Plus we've been friends for many years, so it's the perfect fit for me.โ
As for the man he will replace, Jason Bright, his seven year stint with the team has ended on a happy note and once the curtain calls on the Homebush season finale, he would have completed 98 rounds with team, the most he has ever completed with one single outfit.
โThe team Brad and Kim have put together in Albury have been a pleasure to work with. ย The majority of the guys here now were here in my first year in 2010 which says a lot about the culture that BJR has,โ Jason said.
โ I never thought I would drive for a team for 7 years straight but BJR has made my time here a very satisfying chapter in my Supercar career. I will have to be careful not to pull into the wrong bay for a pit stop next season and in case I do I hope they can change my tyres."
It is still unclear where Brad will finally end up for the 2017 championship season.
