Toyota confirmed today that BJR will field four Supras next season, adding to the two-car effort from the marque’s homologation team Walkinshaw Andretti United.
The announcement ends eight months of speculation as to which team would join WAU in making the leap to Toyota.
BJR emerged as the frontrunner in recent weeks after Team 18 was anointed as the homologation team for General Motors.
“I’m a creature of habit so change is not always easy,” said Jones, whose team currently campaigns Chevrolet Camaros.
“Once I met with the [Toyota] guys and spent some time understanding them, they took me through their vision, it seemed very clear this was a great opportunity that I couldn’t miss.”
Toyota is understood to have ramped up its planned financial input into a second team to snare the four-car BJR.
The Albury-based team will face a huge task to be ready for the start of the 2026 season.
“It’s a lot of hard work for the guys on the floor because we’re going to change all the bodies on the cars and we’re building new cars,” Jones added.
“But it’s been nothing but positive. Everyone has really embraced the move and starting today we’re going to fire even harder into it.”
The Toyota deal reconnects BJR with the Walkinshaw team.
BJR entered the championship with Ford in 2000 before switching to Holden in 2008, initially running Walkinshaw-built Commodores.
“It’s very early days but the very brief discussions that we’ve had talking about where the project is going and where they’re at with it has been really positive,” Jones said of Walkinshaw.
“I’ve had a relationship with Walkinshaw in the past and I think it’ll be fine. I’m excited, the fact there’s two teams, and I think the Toyota will be up there and thereabouts.
“We need to earn our stripes, there’s going to be a lot of work to do, but it’s an exciting time for the group.”
The Supra body and Toyota Supercars engine are both currently under development, with WAU aiming to have its first car on track for testing midway through this year.
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