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FOURTH BJR CAR FOR DARWIN

BJR to run Macauley Jones in a wildcard entry for Darwin - Photo: InSyde Media

By Bruce Williams

BJR to run Macauley Jones in a wildcard entry for Darwin - Photo: InSyde Media

BJR to run Macauley Jones in a wildcard entry for Darwin – Photo: InSyde Media

Brad Jones Racing has announced that they will run a wildcard entry for Macauley Jones at the next round of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway.

It’ll see the team run four cars, with the Victorian outfit the only team to confirmed to run a wildcard entry in the Northern Territory. BJR also confirmed their plans to run Jones as a wildcard entry for Tailem Bend in August.

Jones took to Winton Motor Raceway earlier this week to complete his wildcard test day in Tim Slade’s No. 14 Freightliner Racing ZB Commodore.

“Tuesday’s test day was really valuable for the wildcard team and I. We got a lot of procedural things done including plenty of pit stop practice for me. I got to learn about a few of the differences between the VF and ZB Commodore and get reacquainted with the Dunlop SuperSoft tyre.” said Jones.

“Being the only car on a cold track means you don’t get the best gauge of how you’re really going, but I feel like we did reasonably well. It was good to adapt to the SuperSoft tyre again and get laps on the board.”

“Wally Storey will be my engineer in Darwin, he’s got a lot of knowledge and experience in the game. He’s been a part of the BJR family for quite some time now and always been a great help to me. There are plenty of things to learn from him, and to see him back in the lane as my car controller will be pretty cool.”

“I’ll approach the 2018 wildcard events a little bit differently to how I did last year. The 2017 wildcard events all happened so quickly, it was a bit of a blur. I really want to let this experience sink in a little more. Having the track experience at Darwin is good, so I’ll take what I learned last year into this year. I’m really looking forward to getting back to the top end.”

Macauley Jones completed a wildcard test in Tim Slade's car at Winton- Photo: InSyde Media

Macauley Jones completed a wildcard test in Tim Slade’s car at Winton- Photo: InSyde Media

Slade’s car from last year is currently in the process of being upgraded to ZB Commodore specification for Jones to run at Hidden Valley and Tailem Bend.

“Getting the No. 4 ZB Commodore ready is a big job for the team. We wanted the car done earlier than this, but it’s been tough, the Supercars calendar is packed so you get back from one event, get ready and go again.”

“It’s a very cool opportunity for me to run the ZB Commodore, and the time that the guys have given me to assist in the build is unbelievably helpful and I’m very grateful. As always it’s a team effort.”

Jones currently sits fourth in the Dunlop Super2 series.

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