The Dayco-sponsored Blanchard Racing Team (BRT) has won the race to be the first Gen3 Supercar to hit the track in Australia, with the CoolDrive Auto Parts Ford Mustang taking to Winton Motor Raceway yesterday, with the team’s new recruit Todd Hazelwood behind the wheel for the shakedown run.

Completely built in-house at the BRT workshop, the final product sets the scene for the latest generation ruleset, which will see Mustangs line up against Chevrolet Camaros for the first time in the modern era of Australian Touring Car racing.

To coincide with the car’s first on-track appearance, the squad has also unveiled its warpaint for the 2023 season.

“The new BRT001 in its striking CoolDrive Auto Parts colors looks amazing,” said Hazelwood. “The metallic blue paint really makes the finish of the car look super professional, and it looks fast just sitting still. The team here at BRT have done a superb job with the build of this brand-new Mustang. They have aimed for perfection in every aspect, and when you look closely at the car, you can truly see the attention to detail. I’m sure the Ford fans will love our blue CoolDrive Mustang, and I’m keen to continue with the testing and development program.”

For Blanchard Racing Team Co-Principal, John Blanchard, the opportunity to be the first to complete a car to the new regulations is a source of great pride, he said.

“The effort that Mirko (De Rosa) and the entire crew have put into the build of this new Mustang is incredible, it is a tribute to the flexibility of a single-car operation,” said Blanchard. “The build of the new Gen 3 car started back September last year, when we started planning and preparing our resources in anticipation. We significantly increased our manufacturing capabilities, minimized outside commitments, picked up parts to save time on freight no matter where in the country they were, built as many components in house as possible to minimize reliance on third parties and just worked hard and long hours.

“I am very proud of everyone in our business and team for what they have achieved to get this car on track by 1 February – it has been a real team effort, said Blanchard. “The wider CoolDrive and entire BRT businesses have been heavily involved in a massive collaborative effort, whether it is leveraging our product sourcing and supply chain capabilities, our technical support of the components, or just simply picking up parts to save time on freight.”