Prepared by Garry Rogers Motorsport, Bargwanna will compete in his Hangcha-backed Peugeot 308 TCR entry in all seven rounds of the national series.

Son of Bathurst 1000 winner Jason Bargwanna, the third generation is also looking to International TCR competition after three overseas events in 2023, as well as the Australian legs of the TCR World Tour.

In his three competitive years in TCR Australia, Ben Bargwanna won the rookie of the year award in 2021, had a race win, five podiums and two pole positions. His last pole was at Sydney Motorsport Park in the first of two TCR World Tour rounds last year.

His best TCR Australia series overall results also came in 2023 where he finished seventh in the points standings.

Bargwanna will start the series in his existing Peugeot 308 at Sandown on February 9-11. By mid-season he plans to switch to the latest GRM-constructed 308 TCR which will be the first TCR car homologated by an Australian race team.

It won’t be the first time that Hangcha Forklifts has linked up with Bargwanna. In selected rounds of the S5000 Championship, he had Hangcha support and with the Team Clairet Sport Peugeot he raced at the Macau Grand Prix.

“Hangcha enjoyed the experience last year, so going into this year with its support is pretty awesome and it will be a big season for us,” Bargwanna said.

“I travelled overseas last year and got a taste for what it’s like to compete against the best TCR teams and drivers. I know what to expect, and I really hope we can get the right deals across the line to get back there and have another crack.”

Hangcha Forklifts was founded in 1956 in China and is ranked inside the top 10 material handling equipment manufacturers in the world. Its sales network consists of more than 70 dealers across more than 140 countries.

The brand includes combustion forklifts, electric forklift trucks and a full range of warehouse equipment from electric pallet trucks to reach trucks.

“Like Hangcha, the Bargwannas are fast moving and passionate about their business, and for us, that makes them the perfect partners. We can’t think of a better environment than the intensity and competitive nature of the racing to stand behind our brand and our products and grow the brand in Australasia and beyond,” added the company representative Daniel Anderson.