Jaxon Evans enters endurance mode ahead of Sandown return

Jaxon Evans is prepared and ready for his maiden Repco Supercars Championship endurance event as a full-time driver.

Having paired up with Jack Smith for the previous two endurance campaigns, it’s the New Zealander now being the lead driver in the SCT Motorsport Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

Joining Evans for the enduros will be the vastly experienced Dean Fiore, who has six Bathurst 1000 top 10 finishes to his name.

It’s Fiore’s experience where Evans hopes will be advantageous both on and off track. Fiore’s time as a team owner in Supercars provides a unique perspective for Evans to learn from during their endurance campaign.

A two-day pre-endurance event test occurred at Winton where Evans and Fiore spent time completing pit stop routines including driver changes. It proved a successful test for the pairing and has Evans confident for Sandown.

Evans believes tyre degradation will be the deciding factor in gaining a result at Sandown in what will be his second start after contesting its return to the calendar last year.

“Obviously heading to Sandown, it’s a big event and the first enduro of the year, it’s going to be pretty chaotic,” said Evans.

“Hopefully the weather stays away, but I’m looking forward to the challenge and it’s cool to have completed the full circle of being a co-driver to now being full-time in Supercars.

“It’ll be pretty exciting just based on what I experienced last year for the first time at Sandown in a Supercar.

“There’s a lot of variables now when it comes to the enduros and the crew have been on it in the pit stops, so it’s a real team effort.

“The Sandown 500 is not an easy one to win, but it’s certainly not to be taken as preparation for Bathurst.

“We’ll go there, do the best we can and see where we finish up.”

Although changes to the Gen3 platform have been minimal since its endurance debut last year, the aerodynamic update will be important to factor arriving at a circuit like Sandown.

The 60th anniversary Penrite Sandown 500 is scheduled to take place on September 13-15.