Motorsport: Bargwanna joins Kelly Racing

Jason Bargwanna. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - Veteran V8 Supercar driver Jason Bargwanna has signed with Kelly Racing for the 2010 season.

The 37-year-old has raced alongside Greg Murphy at Sprint Gas Racing this season, finishing fourth with the New Zealander at last month's Bathurst 1000.

But with Tasman Motorsport announcing its decision to fold at the end of the year, both Murphy and Bargwanna have been looking for new rides in 2010.

While four-time Bathurst champion Murphy is yet to announce his destination next year, Bargwanna will reunite with fellow former Holden Young Lion driver development program products Todd and Rick Kelly at the four-car Kelly Racing stable.

Bargwanna said he hoped the switch to join the Kellys would help him realise his dream of being a championship contender.

"I've worked really hard at over the years and I still haven't given up on my goal to be a championship contender," he said.

"That's why it attracts me to be part of this group of guys. When you look at what's involved here and the people and the mentality, both equipment-wise, staff-wise and commercially, it's one of the teams that you would put at the top of the list to be a part of."

"The team has proven over the last six months that the competitiveness of the team, the results, the focus, the energy, the people, the staff, it's what you need to be a championship contender.

"At Tasman this year we've had some good results but we've probably struggled from being a two-car team. But we're competing against four, and in some cases more, car teams."

Todd Kelly, who claimed his first podium of the season with a second place finish in the first race at Perth's Barbagello circuit on the weekend, said adding Bargwanna to their stable will force him and brother Rick to drive better in 2010.

"All the boys are really excited about Bargs joining us next year and they can't wait," he said.

"It's fantastic for Rick and I to have a driver to push us along and put us under pressure.

"There will be things that we can learn from him and it will be great to have another car up the front."

- AAP