The Kiwi’s 317th championship race start delivered a third career victory and, importantly, his first in dry conditions.
Heimgartner’s previous triumphs came aboard a Kelly Racing Ford Mustang at The Bend in 2021 and aboard a Brad Jones Racing Chevrolet Camaro at Taupo in 2024.
Both of those races were rain-hit affairs.
“You don’t worry too much about it but it is always on the edge of your mind,” Heimgartner said after holding off Broc Feeney in Saturday’s second race.
“Unfortunately I wasn’t able to do a burnout [due to the need to save the engine]. I finally wanted to do a burnout with some smoke!
“But it’s a big weight off my shoulders.
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“I’ve been close lots of times but it’s different winning in the dry and just having that pure speed and not being lucky I guess.”
Heimgartner’s three career wins have come with three manufacturers, while he also reached the podium in Nissans and Holdens.
The 30-year-old quipped that he’s driven “nearly every Supercar there is” during over a decade in the category.
Heimgartner’s commanding victory from pole position, though, is a reminder that the 30-year-old is more than just a journeyman.
“I’d like to be up here a bit more than I am,” he admitted while sitting alongside Feeney and Matt Payne, both 23 years old, post-race.
“The category is so tough. I thought a few years ago when Shane [van Gisbergen] and Scott [McLaughlin] moved away that the paths might open.
“But these young guys are very fast and with very good teams. It’s changed quite a lot over the last few years, everyone has got a lot closer.
“The little things make a big difference. We’ll just keep pushing and try and get back up there.”
Heimgartner’s triumph was also a first for BJR since its switch to the new Toyota package at the start of the season.
BJR has taken a little longer to get to grips with the Supra than homologation team Walkinshaw TWG Racing.
Heimgartner said BJR’s turnaround was down to a mix of working closely with Walkinshaw and backing its own engineering.
“Obviously new car, new aero map, new engine, new everything, you’re trying to find your place,” said Heimgartner of the team’s turnaround since
“Coming to Tassie, obviously Bryce [Fullwood] had some good results here the last few years and I did in ’23, so we knew a rough base that worked well.
“We just went back to more of our traditional BJR sort of set-up and it seems to work with this car too.
“We were quite experimental at the start of the season up until now, so it’s a bit of a return to what I’m familiar with.”
Today’s result marked the first Supercars race win since 2017 for Heimgartner’s engineer Phil Keed, who has a knack for extracting speed at Symmons Plains.
He’s previously enjoyed race wins at the venue with Ford Performance Racing (2006), BJR during its Holden era (2013) and DJR Team Penske (2017).
Keed engineered Fullwood in recent years before switching onto Heimgartner’s #8 entry this season.
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