Macauley Jones is this weekend swinging spanners as Number 2 mechanic for the SunEnergy1 Mercedes-AMG GT3 squad at the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.
Jones is part of the team being managed by former race winner Paul Morris looking after Kenny Habul, David Reynolds, Dominik Baumann, and Martin Konrad.
The Brad Jones Racing Supercars regular received a last-minute call up which will also see him on a wheel gun during pit stops, something the 25-year-old has never done before.
“It is a little bit strange for me even when we got the call and Ryan McLeod rang my dad and said he needed some mechanics,” Jones to Speedcafe.com.
“We can’t really spare any of our other ones at the moment.
“I’ve done my apprenticeship and been at BJR for six or seven years now, so I figured ‘Why not have had an experience, something new?’”
Jones says while it’s strange to be working as the mechanic for a driver with whom he usually competes, the pair know each other well off track.
“He’s known my dad for a long time and I’ve known him for a long time and his dad’s my dentist actually,” Jones explained.
“He’s a big part of the Albury go-kart track.
“I sort of went through that and so I’ve done a few things with Dave, but he’s always been really good to me and I really like him as a person.
“He’s very funny and he’s very down to earth and yes, it’s good fun.”
Though working as a mechanic this year, Jones is open to the prospect of taking part in the event as a driver in future, should the right opportunity open itself up.
“I would love to do it one day and I really hope to, but it’s not getting cheaper, that’s for sure, and more and more factory teams and international teams come over and some people have got some budgets,” he said.
“It is a little bit weird being on this side and sort of seeing all the drivers out there.
“I kind of wish I was in one of the cars, but if I can’t be in the race I may as well be a part of it somehow and be around it and I can learn a few things around what they’re doing.”
Reynolds put the SunEnergy1 entry fastest in Practice 3 on Friday, a time that stood to see the team sixth fastest on combined results for the day.
Saturday’s action begins with a final 60-minute practice session at 08:45 AEDT before moving into qualifying and a Top 10 Shootout to round out the day.
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