Jason Eric Bargwanna (born 26 April 1971) is an Australian motor racing driver. Best known as a Supercars Championship competitor, Bargwanna raced in the series for 25 years, the pinnacle of which was winning, with Garth Tander, the 2000 Bathurst 1000 in a Garry Rogers Motorsport prepared Holden Commodore. Bargwanna was the Driving Standards Observer for the Supercars Championship from 2014 until 2016.
Career history Bargwanna commenced his racing career in the late 1980s, initially competing in the Formula Vee category. He made his Bathurst 1000 début while still a teenager in 1990 and won the 1992 Bathurst 1600 cc class at 20, with his cousin Scott, however a lack of funding limited his motor sport participation for the next few seasons and he pursued a career in the financial sector.
Bargwanna's career finally started to move forward in 1995, racing in the Australian Formula Ford Championship. He impressed in his seven-year-old Reynard, racing against younger drivers with the latest cars from Van Diemen and Swift and against drivers of the calibre of Jason Bright and Mark Webber. His 1995 showing allowed him to attract the budget to run a campaign with late model equipment in 1996 and he finished second in the championship to Van Diemen's factory supported driver, David Besnard. He also represented Australia in the EFDA Nations Cup in both 1995 and 1996. A move to Formula Holden resulted in second place in the 1997 Australian Drivers' Championship with SH Racing.
V8 Supercars As a member of the Holden Young Lions V8 Supercar program in 1997, Bargwanna surprised many by taking provisional pole position in the #97 Holden Commodore at the Bathurst 1000 Classic only to damage the car beyond repair in a race day warm up accident. His career further advanced in 1998 with a move full-time to Garry Rogers Motorsport, where he stayed for five years. Bargwanna is best known for winning the 2000 Bathurst 1000 with Garth Tander for that team. He also scored two round wins at the Winton event in 1999 and 2000 and at the inaugural championship round supporting the Gold Coast Indy 300, the V8 Supercar Challenge, in 2002.
In 2003, Bargwanna switched to Ford and drove for Larkham Motor Sport from 2003 to 2005. In 2006, Larkham Motor Sport merged with WPS Racing, the team folding immediately prior to the 2008 season and leaving Bargwanna without a full-time drive. He did however co-drive a Holden Commodore (VE) for Rod Nash Racing alongside Tony D'Alberto in the 2008 Phillip Island 500 and the Bathurst 1000 endurance races.
Bargwanna joined Tasman Motorsport for 2009 and, following the closure of that team at the end of the season, he joined Kelly Racing for 2010.http://www.motorsport.com/#/all/news/jason-bargwanna-gets-seat-team-with-kelly-racing/?v=2&s=1&q=Jason%2BBargwanna&i=98 Motorsport.com Retrieved 24 June 2011 He was also voted in the top 50 all time Australian Touring car drivers in 2010.http://www.motorsport.com/#/all/news/kelly-racing-drivers-honoured-in-top-50-list/?v=2&s=1&q=Jason%2BBargwanna&i=20 Motorsport.com Retrieved 24 June 2011 In 2011 Bargwanna drove a Brad Jones Racing Commodore alongside his junior open-wheel rival, Jason Bright.
In 2014, Bargwanna was appointed as the Driver Standards Observer for the Supercars Championship.Bargwanna appointed as V8 DSO Speedcafe 6 February 2014 Bargwanna left the post at the end of 2016.Bargwanna ousted as Supercars empire Speedcafe 7 December 2016
New Zealand V8 In late 2011, Bargwanna left the V8 Supercars Australia and joined the New Zealand V8. He resulted runner-up in the 2011/12 season behind Angus Fogg, collecting a round win and podiums in the six rounds driving a Tulloch Ford Falcon. The team switched to a Holden Commodore for the 2013 season. The driver won nine out of 15 races and got the TLX title.
TCR In 2020, Bargwanna was to make his debut in the TCR Australia and TCR Asia Pacific Cup driving a Peugeot 308. Both series were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he and his son Ben, debuted in the series. Jason scored his first win at Phillip Island[https://speedcafe.com/jason-bargwanna-wins-after-mostert-misfortune/ Jason Bargwanna wins after Mostert misfortune. Speedcafe 14th March, 2021.>
Personal life Bargwanna is married to Debra and has two children. He lives in Nar Nar Goon, Victoria. His father, Harry Bargwanna, himself an Australian racing driver, owns and operates a mechanical repair shop in the Southern Sydney suburb of Engadine. His uncle Alf and cousin Scott are also national level race drivers. Bargwanna attended Heathcote High School in Sydney. Bargwanna owns one Red Rooster franchises in Pakenham West.
Career results
Season Series Position Car Team 1994 Australian Formula Ford Championship 18th Reynard FF88 Ford Ugly Kid Racing 1995 Australian Formula Ford Championship 9th Reynard FF88 Ford Ugly Kid Racing EFDA Nations Cup 11th † Van Diemen – Opel Team Australia 1996 Australian Formula Ford Championship 2nd Spectrum 05c Ford Team Arrow EFDA Nations Cup 8th † Van Diemen – Opel Team Australia 1997 Australian Drivers' Championship 2nd Reynard 92D Holden SH Racing 1998 Australian Touring Car Championship 7th Holden Commodore (VS) Garry Rogers Motorsport 1999 Shell Championship Series 11th Holden Commodore (VT) Garry Rogers Motorsport 2000 Shell Championship Series 7th Holden Commodore (VT) Garry Rogers Motorsport 2001 Shell Championship Series 15th Holden Commodore (VX) Garry Rogers Motorsport 2002 V8 Supercar Championship Series 13th Holden Commodore (VX) Garry Rogers Motorsport 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series 14th Ford Falcon (AU)Ford Falcon (BA) Larkham Motor Sport 2004 V8 Supercar Championship Series 8th Ford Falcon (BA) Larkham Motor Sport 2005 V8 Supercar Championship Series 26th Ford Falcon (BA) Larkham Motor Sport 2006 V8 Supercar Championship Series 14th Ford Falcon (BA) WPS Racing 2007 V8 Supercar Championship Series 18th Ford Falcon (BF) WPS Racing 2008 Australian Mini Challenge 4th Mini Cooper Bargwanna Motorsport V8 Supercar Championship Series 61st Holden Commodore (VE) Tony D'Alberto Racing 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series 25th Holden Commodore (VE) Tasman Motorsport 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series 24th Holden Commodore (VE) Kelly Racing 2010-11 New Zealand V8 Touring Cars 11th Ford Falcon (BA) Tulloch Motorsport 2011 International V8 Supercars Championship 22nd Holden Commodore (VE) Brad Jones Racing 2011-12 New Zealand V8 Touring Cars 2nd Ford Falcon (BA) Tulloch Motorsport 2013 New Zealand V8 Touring Cars - TLX Class 1st Holden Commodore (VE) Tulloch Motorsport 2013–14 New Zealand V8 Touring Cars - TLX Class 2nd Toyota Camry Richards Team Motorsport 2014–15 New Zealand V8 Touring Cars - TLX Class 1st Toyota Camry Richards Team Motorsport 2015–16 New Zealand Touring Cars - Class one 4th Toyota Camry Richards Team Motorsport 2016–17 New Zealand Touring Cars - Class one 3rd Ford Falcon (FG)Toyota Camry Richards Team Motorsport 2017–18 New Zealand Touring Cars - Class one 2nd Toyota Camry Richards Team Motorsport 2020 TCR Asia Pacific Cup NC Peugeot 308 TCR Burson Auto Parts Racing2021 TCR Australia 9th Peugeot 308 TCR Burson Auto Parts Racing Trans Am Series 29th Ford Mustang Garry Rogers Motorsport
† team result
Supercars Championship results (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Supercars results Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 Position Points 1998 Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden VS Commodore SANR1 SANR2 SANR3 SYMR4 SYMR5 SYMR6 LAKR7 LAKR8 LAKR9 PHIR10 PHIR11 PHIR12 WINR13 WINR14 WINR15 MALR16 MALR17 MALR18 BARR19 BARR20 BARR21 CALR22 CALR23 CALR24 HDVR25 HDVR26 HDVR27 ORAR28 ORAR29 ORAR30 7th 603 1999 Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden VT Commodore EASR1 EASR2 EASR3 ADER4 BARR5 BARR6 BARR7 PHIR8 PHIR9 PHIR10 HDVR11 HDVR12 HDVR13 SANR14 SANR15 SANR16 QLDR17 QLDR18 QLDR19 CALR20 CALR21 CALR22 SYMR23 SYMR24 SYMR25 WINR26 WINR27 WINR28 ORAR29 ORAR30 ORAR31 QLDR32 BATR33 11th 1148 2000 Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden VT Commodore PHIR1 PHIR2 BARR3 BARR4 BARR5 ADER6 ADER7 EASR8 EASR9 EASR10 HDVR11 HDVR12 HDVR13 CANR14 CANR15 CANR16 QLDR17 QLDR18 QLDR19 WINR20 WINR21 WINR22 ORAR23 ORAR24 ORAR25 CALR26 CALR27 CALR28 QLDR29 SANR30 SANR31 SANR32 BATR33 7th 1054 2001 Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden VX Commodore PHIR1 PHIR2 ADER3 ADER4 EASR5 EASR6 HDVR7 HDVR8 HDVR9 CANR10 CANR11 CANR12 BARR13 BARR14 BARR15 CALR16 CALR17 CALR18 ORAR19 ORAR20 QLDR21 WINR22 WINR23 BATR24 PUKR25 PUKR26 PUKR27 SANR28 SANR29 SANR30 15th 1821 2002 Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden VX Commodore ADER1 ADER2 PHIR3 PHIR4 EASR5 EASR6 EASR7 HDVR8 HDVR9 HDVR10 CANR11 CANR12 CANR13 BARR14 BARR15 BARR16 ORAR17 ORAR18 WINR19 WINR20 QLDR21 BATR22 SURR23 SURR24 PUKR25 PUKR26 PUKR27 SANR28 SANR29 13th 765 2003 Larkham Motorsport Ford AU Falcon ADER1 ADER1 PHIR3 EASR4 WINR5 BARR6 BARR7 BARR8 HDVR9 HDVR10 HDVR11 QLDR12 ORAR13 SANR14 BATR15 SURR16 SURR17 PUKR18 PUKR19 PUKR20 EASR21 EASR22 14th 1431 2004 Larkham Motorsport Ford BA Falcon ADER1 ADER2 EASR3 PUKR4 PUKR5 PUKR6 HDVR7 HDVR8 HDVR9 BARR10 BARR11 BARR12 QLDR13 WINR14 ORAR15 ORAR16 SANR17 BATR18 SURR19 SURR20 SYMR21 SYMR22 SYMR23 EASR24 EASR25 EASR26 8th 1526 2005 Larkham Motorsport Ford BA Falcon ADER1 ADER2 PUKR3 PUKR4 PUKR5 BARR6 BARR7 BARR8 EASR9 EASR10 SHAR11 SHAR12 SHAR13 HDVR14 HDVR15 HDVR16 QLDR17 ORAR18 ORAR19 SANR20 BATR21 SURR22 SURR23 SURR24 SYMR25 SYMR26 SYMR27 PHIR28 PHIR29 PHIR30 26th 883 2006 WPS Racing Ford BA Falcon ADER1 ADER2 PUKR3 PUKR4 PUKR5 BARR6 BARR7 BARR8 WINR9 WINR10 WINR11 HDVR12 HDVR13 HDVR14 QLDR15 QLDR16 QLDR17 ORAR18 ORAR19 ORAR20 SANR21 BATR22 SURR23 SURR24 SURR25 SYMR26 SYMR27 SYMR28 BHRR29 BHRR30 BHRR31 PHIR32 PHIR33 PHIR34 14th 2053 2007 WPS Racing Ford BF Falcon ADER1 ADER2 BARR3 BARR4 BARR5 PUKR6 PUKR7 PUKR8 WINR9 WINR10 WINR11 EASR12 EASR13 EASR14 HDVR15 HDVR16 HDVR17 QLDR18 QLDR19 QLDR20 ORAR21 ORAR22 ORAR23 SANR24 BATR25 SURR26 SURR27 SURR28 BHRR29 BHRR30 BHRR31 SYMR32 SYMR33 SYMR34 PHIR35 PHIR36 PHIR37 18th 109 2008 Tony D'Alberto Racing Holden VE Commodore ADER1 ADER2 EASR3 EASR4 EASR5 HAMR6 HAMR7 HAMR8 BARR9 BARR10 BARR11 SANR12 SANR13 SANR14 HDVR15 HDVR16 HDVR17 QLDR18 QLDR19 QLDR20 WINR21 WINR22 WINR23 PHIQ PHIR24 BATR25 SURR26 SURR27 SURR28 BHRR29 BHRR30 BHRR31 SYMR32 SYMR33 SYMR34 ORAR35 ORAR36 ORAR37 61st 38 2009 Tasman Motorsport Holden VE Commodore ADER1 ADER2 HAMR3 HAMR4 WINR5 WINR6 SYMR7 SYMR8 HDVR9 HDVR10 TOWR11 TOWR12 SANR13 SANR14 QLDR15 QLDR16 PHIQ PHIR17 BATR18 SURR19 SURR20 SURR21 SURR22 PHIR23 PHIR24 BARR25 BARR26 SYDR27 SYDR28 25th 1192 2010 Kelly Racing Holden VE Commodore YMCR1 YMCR2 BHRR3 BHRR4 ADER5 ADER6 HAMR7 HAMR8 QLDR9 QLDR10 WINR11 WINR12 HDVR13 HDVR14 TOWR15 TOWR16 PHIR17 BATR18 SURR19 SURR20 SYMR21 SYMR22 SANR23 SANR24 SYDR25 SYDR26 24th 1208 2011 Brad Jones Racing Holden VE Commodore YMCR1 YMCR2 ADER3 ADER4 HAMR5 HAMR6 BARR7 BARR8 BARR9 WINR10 WINR11 HIDR12 HIDR13 TOWR14 TOWR15 QLDR16 QLDR17 QLDR18 PHIR19 BATR20 SURR21 SURR22 SYMR23 SYMR24 SANR25 SANR26 SYDR27 SYDR28 22nd 1352
Complete Bathurst 1000 results