Jake Kostecki will be engineered by Chris Stuckey for the next three Supercars events following Tim Newton’s departure from Matt Stone Racing.

Earlier this year the Yatala-based team announced a shake-up to its engineering line-up with Newton joining Kostecki in the #34 while Jack Bellotti paired Zane Goddard in the #35.

Following the Repco Supercars Championship season-opener at Mount Panorama, Matt Stone Racing relieved Newton of his services.

The change comes amid an ongoing engineering line-up restructure, triggered by Wes McDougall’s departure to Red Bull Ampol Racing to engineer Jamie Whincup.

In his place comes a temporary replacement in Stuckey, who joins the team on loan from Triple Eight Race Engineering.

Stuckey will only be available at select events this year, dovetailing commitments with Angelo Mouzouris as his Super2 Series engineer.

Stuckey has recent championship experience, engineering Alex Davison in the latter half of last year’s Supercars season at Team Sydney.

This weekend’s Sandown SuperSprint marks the first time Kostecki and Stuckey have worked together.

While there will be an element of instability in the engineering line-up this year, the 21-year-old is looking forward to working with Stuckey for the time they have together.

“We’ve made a change in our engineering team and I think it’s a good thing for the team,” Kostecki told Speedcafe.com.

“It’s going to be hard only having him for the next three rounds, because he’s got a commitment to Triple Eight for Super2, but we’ve got plans in place already to fill his role for the rounds after.”

Kostecki believes Stuckey’s signing is a good fit for Matt Stone Racing, given his contemporary experience with Triple Eight Race Engineering equipment.

Team Sydney, who he worked with in 2020, also uses Triple Eight-built Supercars like Matt Stone Racing.

“He worked for Tekno last year with the Triple Eight car, so to have him onboard, knowing the Triple Eight car, he gets good information from Triple Eight as well,” Kostecki explained.

“He knows all the boys down there. It’s good for our team to keep moving forward.”

Kostecki comes to the second event of the Supercars season off the back of a solid showing, claiming finishes of 13th and 17th at Mount Panorama.

The Gold Coast-based driver said he’s keen to continue knocking on the door of the top 10.

“It’s a credit to all the boys because they’ve been working really hard in the workshop to get the cars as fast as they can,” said Kostecki, who was 14th in Practice 1 at Sandown this morning.

“Bathurst was the first round and our plan was to keep it clean, but we actually got good points coming out of it as well.

“Coming into Sandown, with a few changes in our team, and a few things we’re doing to the cars, I think we can be even further up.

“It’s going good so far. I’m feeling pretty good. There’s a lot to go and it’s a big day today with another practice, qualifying, and a race.

“In the first practice I feel like it’s good so far.”