INDUSTRY stalwart Kaz Penwarden is in line to lead the charge at Triple Eight’s new in-house engine shop.
Cam Clancy had initially been at the helm, as responsibilities for the 5.4-litre Ford Coyotes shifted from Dick Johnson Racing-owned Motorsport Powertrains up the motorway to Banyo for 2026.
Clancy however left his post after a relatively short period of time, and rather than look externally, Triple Eight is eager to reward Penwarden for his toiling.
Penwarden is more familiar than anyone with the Gen3 Blue Oval motors, having operated on them back to the days of them being based out of Herrod Performance Engines, and he has impressed Triple Eight aplenty.
“Kaz and Brent (Blakey) came from MPT, so they have got a lot of experience with the engines,” Triple Eight team manager Mark Dutton told V8 Sleuth.
“Part of the takeover of us doing engines was offering everyone in the MPT engine shop a position. Two of them took it up, which was Kaz and Brent.
Pic: Ross Gibb
“We have also got a junior coming from there who has just started, in Sam (Bratt). It’s good; we didn’t want anyone to be left in the lurch because they are specialists in what they do.
“All of the lads have stepped up but Kaz in particular, with Cam leaving, has just been doing a phenomenal job and really taking lead of that program and the communication.
“(Triple Eight head of performance) Pete Ringwood heads up the development side of it and tuning and working with Supercars, working super closely with Kaz on the builds.
“It’s such a good story just seeing those guys shine.
“All of them have been doing a great job but Kaz in particular has just taken this opportunity to step up and it’s brilliant.”
Penwarden was granted the opportunity to stand on the Saturday Albert Park podium as the winning team representative following Broc Feeney’s victory.
Reliability has been Triple Eight’s core focus on the engine front.
The opening two rounds of the 2026 Supercars Championship have been dominated by Mustangs.