Early race Engine failure leaves Heimgartner last at Sydney Motorsports Park

Copyright: Supercars

Andre Heimgartner (#8 R&J Batteries Toyota) finished last after engine failure with 8 of 52 laps completed. The finish came in Andre’s 304th start.

Andre Heimgartner is a veteran of the sport, on his 11th full-time season. He started in 2016 for Super Black Racing, but lost his ride in 2017 and only ran as co-driver for Brad Jones Racing that year.

Heimgartner competed for Kelly Racing for four seasons, two in Nissan and two in Ford. He would switch manufacturers and raced a Holden for Brad Jones Racing starting in 2022. When Brad Jones Racing joined Toyota, Andre stayed.

Andre was 16th in Practice 1. He improved to 14th in qualifying.

 

Jack LeBrocq (#4 Sherrin Rentals/Tyrepower Chevrolet) started the race last. However, he wouldn’t stay last long and would finish 9th.

At turn 1, there was contact between three drivers, including Jackson Walls (#11 Objective Ford), who would suffer a puncture from the contact.

The other two involved were fellow Bottom Five finishers Macauley Jone (#96 Alpha Theta Toyota) and Rylan Gray (#38 Shell V-Power Ford).

 

On lap 9, running in the mid-pack, Andre Heimgartner (#8 R&J Batteries Toyota) would slow with engine failure near Turn 10. The failure triggered the only safety car of the race.

Shortly after, his teammate Macauley Jones would pull the #96 into the garage with under tray and brake duct damage. The damage costs Jones 3 laps.

Additional problems would hit during the pit stops, as Jayden Ojeda (#31 Mr. Umanji/Nulon Chevrolet) had a left-rear wheel come off. The tire loss would cost Ojeda a lap.

Rylan Gray and Jackson Walls would fill the last positions in the Bottom Five.

 

 

The Bottom Five

Andre Heimgartner	8 Laps	Engine
Macauley Jones	49 Laps	Running
Jayden Ojeda	51 Laps	Running
Rylan Gray	52 Laps	Running
Jackson Walls	52 Laps	Running

 

Driver’s Championship

Pos	Driver	Last	Bottom 3	Bottom 5
1T	Cooper Murray	1	1	1
1T	Andre Heimgartner	1	1	1
3	Macauley Jones	0	2	2
4T	Jobe Stewart	0	1	1
4T	Jayden Ojeda	0	1	1
6	Ryan Wood	0	0	1
7	Rylan Gray	0	0	2
8	Jackson Walls	0	0	1

 

Team’s Championship

Pos	Driver	#	Last	Bottom 3	Bottom 5
1	Erebus Motorsports	2	1/2	1	1
2	Brad Jones Racing	3	1/3	3/3	3/3
3	Premair Racing	2	0	1/2	1/2
4	Dick Johnson Racing	2	0	0	2/2
5	Walkinshaw Andretti United	2	0	0	1/2
6	SCT/Red Bull Racing	2	0	0	1/2

 

Manufacturer’s Championship

Pos	Manufacturer	#	Last	Bottom 3	Bottom 5
1	Toyota	5	1/5	2/5	3/5
2	Chevrolet	8	1/8	4/8	4/8
3	Ford	11	0	0	3/11

 

 

Power Steering Failure leaves Cooper Murray last at Sydney

Credit to Supercars

Cooper Murray (#99 Total Energy Chevrolet) finished last for the 5th time in his career. The retirement came with power steering failure after 8 of the race’s 26 laps. The finish came in Murray’s 40th start.

 

Cooper Murray is in his 2nd full-time season for Erebus Motorsports, and after a difficult 2025 with 3 last-place finishes, Murray hoped better results came this year. Total Energy came aboard as a full-time sponsor for 2026.

In the only practice session, Murray was 12th.

 

Macauley Jones (#96 Alpha Theta Toyota) started the race last and held last place during the early laps.

Jones would remain last until Lap 9. Exiting Turn 11, Cooper Murray (#99 Total Energy Chevrolet) would report heavy steering and pull into the garage that lap.

A quick check revealed a power steering failure, which ended his race.

 

The bottom five took the rest of the race to finish. Jobe Stewart (#9 Chiko Chevrolet) would finish 23rd. 22nd place went to Macauley Jones (#96 Alpha Theta Toyota).

21st went to Ryan Wood (#2 Truck Assist/Mobil 1 Toyota) while 20th went to Rylan Gray (#38 Shell V-Power Ford).

 

The Bottom Five

Cooper Murray	8 Laps	Power Steering
Jobe Stewart	26 Laps	Running
Macauley Jones	26 Laps	Running
Ryan Wood	26 Laps	Running
Rylan Gray	26 Laps	Running

 

Driver’s Championship

Pos	Driver	Last	Bottom 3	Bottom 5
1	Cooper Murray	1	1	1
2T	Jobe Stewart	0	1	1
2T	Macauley Jones	0	1	1
4T	Ryan Wood	0	0	1
4T	Rylan Gray	0	0	1

 

Team’s Championship

Pos	Driver	#	Last	Bottom 3	Bottom 5
1	Erebus Motorsports	2	1/2	1	1
2	Brad Jones Racing	3	0	1/3	1/3
3T	Walkinshaw Andretti United	2	0	0	1/2
3T	Dick Johnson Racing	2	0	0	1/2

 

Manufacturer’s Championship

Pos	Manufacturer	#	Last	Bottom 3	Bottom 5
1	Chevrolet	8	1/8	3/8	3/8
2	Toyota	5	0	0	1/5
3	Ford	11	0	0	1/11

 

 

2026 Livery Report

 A few days out from the start of the season, I'm giving my verdict on every livery for the 2026 Repco Australia Supercar Championship.

Starting with Chaz Mostert.

I like how it looks with the Toyota Supra. I think it works pretty well. Looks like only the Tus will be visible if the door needs to be opened. 7/10.

Ryan Wood

I wondered how they'd fit Truck Assist on the door so, if the door needed to be opened, you wouldn't see Ass on the door. Only the t is missing, which is good. Looks fine, nothing special. 6/10.

Aaron Cameron

Uh, I'm going to be honest, it's a little much. It's a complete departure from the Cooldrive livery, which is going to the other car, but even so, it feels a little much. The Liqui Moly is blasted everywhere. Otherwise, the colour scheme is pretty cool, which does bring it up a little. 5.5/10

Jack LeBrocq

I love it. Orange works on a Chevrolet. The blue parts from Tyrepower work too, and remind me of some older liveries from back in the day. The only minor issue is that it's on Jack LeBrocq's car. They're going to be paying out a fair bit. 9/10.

Cameron Waters

Not much to say here. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Iconic. 8/10.

James Golding

The livery was on Aaron Cameron's car last year, and has moved to James Golding this year. It's fine. I've got nothing bad to say about it. 6/10.

Andre Heimgartner

I was unsure how R&J Batteries would fit on the Toyota. And it's fine. Another one I don't really have an opinion on. Except the black hood, which is cool. 6.5/10.

Jobe Stewart

The orange and black clash a bit more here than on Jack LeBrocq's livery. I still like it, just not as much. 8/10.

Zach Bates

I also love this livery. The blue fits perfectly with the Black. And Bendix appearing in white and black outline is even better, 10/10.

Jackson Walls

I don't know about this one. The sponsor name takes up far too much of the livery. I don't really like it. 4/10.

Cameron Hill

This is another super cool livery. Not quite as awesome as Percat's, but I love the dare part of it. Probably a close 2nd. 9/10.

Brodie Kostecki and Rylan Grey

Another case of If it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's fine. Nothing Special. 7/10.

Anton De Pasquale

There is a subtle difference to this one. There's a bowtie thing at the back of the livery. I think it looks cool. 7.5/10.

Matt Payne and Kai Allen

I'm going to sound like a broken record. If it ain't broke don't fix it. It still looks cool. The gold on black is something I've always liked. 8/10.

David Reynolds

The sponsor works as well on a Camaro as it does on a Mustang. I like it. 7/10.

Declan Fraser and Jayden OJeda

I admire the commitment to the colour scheme, though I do miss the blue that's usually there on a NAPA Sponsor. Might be watching NAPA as a livery on NASCAR. 7/10

Thomas Randle

I don't mind the additions of the black. They've done something with the green that I hate. It ruined the livery in my opinion. 2/10.

Will Brown and Broc Feeney

The changes are subtle, and mostly because of the switch from Chevrolet to Ford. I think it works pretty well. 8/10.

Macauley Jones

Probably my 3rd favourite livery. I love the transition from white, to blue, to black. Alpha Theta works well with the Toyota. 9/10.

Cooper Murray

Feels a little underdone in my opinion. Could maybe add a little more to the livery. 5/10.

And those are my throughts about the liveries we've got for 2026.

I'm looking forward to this season. Let's see how it goes.