MW Motorsport’s Jayden Ojeda and Tyler Everingham have already moved into Queensland from New South Wales in readiness for the Townsville round of the Dunlop Super2 Series.
While Ojeda is the only driver in the top two tiers of Supercars who is based in Sydney, whereas Everingham hails from Dubbo, both made an early move across the border to ensure they would not get caught out.
That was just as well for the former, given the Harbour City is in lockdown until midnight on July 9, the first scheduled day of track activity in North Queensland, and currently classified as a hotspot by Queensland.
The Townsville event hangs in the balance given its own lockdown which takes effect tonight but, assuming it ends as planned this Friday, both will be able to contest Round 2 of the Super2 season.
Ironically, however, with both Ojeda and Everingham having taken refuge on the Gold Coast, in separate accommodation, they are now caught in that Sunshine State lockdown given it also applies to South East Queensland.
The former told Speedcafe.com that he had made an early departure from driver training work in Cooma, in his home state’s Snowy Mountains region, last week.
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“I was meant to be there until Friday, then Wednesday I shot out and got to Melbourne because it looked like it was going pear-shaped, and then from Melbourne on Friday I flew up to Gold Coast,” recounted Ojeda.
“Now I’m in the Gold Coast about to go through a three-day lockdown.
“You just don’t know. You can be as prepared as you think you are, but Townsville’s in lockdown for three days so even if I went to straight to Townsville…”
Ojeda is in fact staying with another team-mate in Josh Fife, who divides his time between his home of Canberra and the Gold Coast, while the other driver in the MWM quartet, Declan Fraser, lives in Mackay, around 400km south of Townsville.
MWM had to make the border dash to partake in last year’s Sydney Super2 round, before going through quarantine ahead of the Bathurst event, and its NSW-based drivers’ moves came after instruction from team owner Matthew White.
“Had to head up early, just in case,” Everingham told Speedcafe.com.
“I was up here since Friday just to cover myself; never know what happens.
“It was a pretty big push from Matt to leave New South Wales and get up here early.”
Of other NSW-based drivers, Speedcafe.com has confirmed that Jordan Boys, Zane Morse, and would-be class debutant Jon McCorkindale remain in the state for now.
Boys is based in Albury and his Image Racing squad from regional Victoria, while Morse and McCorkindale are full privateers.
Morse’s crew cannot leave until just prior to the event due to work commitments but the latter would be willing to make a border dash from this Sunday if need be.
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