Barry Bangay Motors’ relationship with Castrol dates all the way back to the 1970s, and since taking over the popular Ringwood business two decades ago, owner Joel Evans has kept the Castrol flowing.
To acknowledge his passion for the green, white and red, Joel and his team were surprised with an exclusive Supercars experience at the Sandown 500 in September, with the workshop logo adorning integrated into a particularly special livery on the Castrol Racing Tickford Ford Mustang.
Joystick
Recognised and beloved from the early years of the Japan Super GT series and Gran Turismo video games, the #55 supercar carried the iconic Castrol colours of the TOM’s Supra – generating plenty of buzz and attention across a chaotic weekend of racing.
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“Attention from media and spectators was really high, and seeing our logo on there, I’ll have those memories forever,”
Joel said.
“I’ve had a lot of companies try to drag me away from Castrol over the years, but for me it’s about the quality and the brand and making sure we’re offering the best product to the customer.
“Quality and reliability mean everything to us…and I don’t have to do much in terms of selling Castrol. It sells itself.”
Joel gained an interest in cars and scrutineering at a young age thanks to his uncle who was president of the Victorian Porsche Club, and he said he’s loved pulling things apart and fixing them for as long as he can remember.
“One of my first jobs as a teenager was pulling apart lawnmowers and washing machines,” he said.
“It was a lot of small engine stuff…go karts, whipper snippers, and then I progressed to an exhaust and brake shop. I was getting my hands dirty and getting right into it.”
All bases covered
Joel’s journey to workshop ownership began when he was selected into the VACC Group Scheme more than 30 years ago.
Since that time, he’s honed his craft in a range of settings – from service stations to prestige workshops.
“I got to see a lot of good things and a lot of things that I thought should be done differently and hoped that one day I could put all that together,” he said.
“What we’ve got now, I’m pretty proud of.”
Today, Barry Bangay Motors covers all aspects of mechanical repairs and servicing, including logbook servicing, electrical work, suspension modifications and engine rebuilds.
Looking to the future, Joel spoke about hybrids, electric vehicles, and rapid technological change, and said he was looking forward to the future evolution of his business.
“With new technologies, you still get the pleasure of seeing how something works and being able to fix it, but fixing things now is different to how it used to be – now it’s a lot more electrical stuff to be replaced as opposed to mechanical things that need to be repaired, but you evolve,” he said.
“The end result is still the same in being able to see how something works and get it working for someone again.
“It’s a good challenge and something I still really enjoy.
“We stay up-to-date and upskill through in-house and online technical training. You really have to keep your finger on the pulse.”
Wheel/life balancing
Joel said finding work-life balance as a small business owner was a challenge, as was accessing apprentices and talented mechanics.
“It’s important to have a strong support network and hold onto good workers…if you’ve got a good team around you, you can run a really successful business,” he added.
“I want to make sure it’s a place that if I was in their position, I’d want to work here too.”
Joel’s advice to new workshop owners was to “have good products and build trust and loyalty with customers”.
“Communication is the biggest part of building a relationship with the customer,” he said.
“Being transparent all the way through, with pricing and the process of the job makes a massive difference to building that trust.”