Heimgartner credits Tasmania turnaround with Gen2 philosophy

Andre Heimgartner has attributed his Race 10 podium at Symmons Plains to reverting to a philosophy which he and Brad Jones Racing used in the Gen2 era.

The New Zealander qualified fifth and drove the #8 R&J Batteries Camaro to second place in the opening race of the Tasmania Supercars event.

It represented the latest swing in what has been an up-and-down start to the first season of the Gen3 era for Heimgartner, who finished the Albert Park event with a fifth and a second place, but then qualified no higher than 14th and finished no better than 10th at Wanneroo.

Explaining the turnaround at the Ned Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint, he said, “I guess [I am] back to how I like driving the car and what we used mostly last year.

“We got a bit of misled from AGP stuff and that sort of tanked Perth a bit, but it’s great to come here, have some good speed, awesome to get second and have good race pace.”

Heimgartner had emerged third after some early drama in Race 10 and would jump Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters when they pitted together, thanks to a typically quick BJR pit stop.

He then closed to within a second of eventual winner Will Brown, taking the chequered flag 0.6856s in arrears after 42 Safety Car-free laps around Symmons Plains.

About what it will take to stay near the pointy end of the field today, Heimgartner quipped, “I’m not sure; another fast pit stop would help.

“But obviously, qualifying up front is key, especially here with how you achieve your speed. Even how Will [Brown, eventual Race 10 winner] was achieving his speed versus mine was very different.

“So, I think once you get jammed up behind some cars, it makes it a bit difficult, so starting from the front, as always, is key.”

The 27-year-old improved one position to seventh in the drivers’ championship with the second place in Race 10, while the #8/#14 BJR entries are collectively fifth in the teams’ standings.

Today begins with back-to-back qualifying sessions to set the grids for Races 11 and 12 from 09:50 local time/AEST.