Brad Jones Racing will end its eight-year association with Ford in 2008 and jump the manufacturer divide with a new driver behind the wheel.

McConville is tipped to lead the new-look BJR team next season.

Poised to increase Holden’s presence on the starting grid, BJR will become another ‘Clayton customer’ and take delivery of two Walkinshaw Performance-built VEs at the end of the season, along with an engine deal from Holden Motorsport.

The team’s plan to "outline a strategy to take their team to the next level" had been scheduled for Saturday of the Bathurst weekend at Mount Panorama, and V8X believes Tom Walkinshaw was also expected to be present at the press conference.

However, contract requirements in respect to Ford forced BJR to postpone the announcement, most likely until after their contract expires on 31 December.

While the Albury-based squad cannot officially comment on the matter until then, Ford Racing boss Ray Price was prepared to reinforce the position of any current Blue Oval team’s obligations in such a situation.

"In all sponsorship arrangements there is requirements within contracts for certain confidentialities and [BJR] respect that and we respect that," says Price. "They are under contract til the end of the year... until things are fully sorted and depending on which way things need to move, we’ll work closely with Kim (Jones) to outline his future."

A move into the red would not be unfamiliar for Brad Jones who was a regular endurance driver with the Holden Racing Team in the 1990s, scoring two Bathurst podiums in 1993 and 1994.

Although the retired racer collected nine national titles across Super Touring, NASCAR, AUSCAR and the Australian Production Car Championship, his BJR-branded outfit became an official Ford V8 Supercar team in 2000.

Despite only achieving since a best second-place at Bathurst six years ago, the expected move to into the Lion’s Den is hoped to return the team to competitive form with strong results the like of which only they can remember.

Crossing to Holden next year would also see the team become the first to switch across the manufacturer fold since Paul Weel Racing in 2003.

While V8Xbelieves current driver Andrew Jones – who campaigned a Commodore at Tasman Motorsport in 2006 – will stay part of the family-run team, he will most likely be joined by a new teammate. Simon Wills is still in the picture for the new season, but pitlane scuttlebutt has Cameron McConville positioned as a strong possible candidate at BJR next year.

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