IT was a strong weekend for Brad Jones Racing at Hidden Valley but one which started in unusual fashion.
“I think in the last 40 years I’ve missed two days (ever at race meetings),” said team owner Brad Jones.
The first was a day of the 2015 Winton SuperSprint when his wife Melissa was hospitalised.
The second was Friday practice at the 2023 Darwin Triple Crown.
Jones was severely delayed in returning from a holiday in the United States, meaning he was unable to subsequently travel from Albury to the Northern Territory until late Friday night.
“I just couldn’t get here because I got stuck in America,” Jones said.
“I was in Albury on Friday so I was just at work and I had the timing screen set up and I was watching it on the telly and working.
“It did feel really odd but it didn’t make any difference.
“The guys are going really well, so I can probably miss a few other days and it won’t matter so much.”
Jones had earlier in the weekend made light of his travel difficulties when interviewed on the Fox Sports broadcast.
“It was meant to be a bit of relaxation, destressing, watch a bit of motorsport,” he chuckled.
“It didn’t work too well. I lost my wallet on the way over.
“The only thing really missing from my trip was Steve Martin, John Candy and a film crew (Martin and Candy co-starred in a 1987 comedy Planes, Trains and Automobiles).
“If I had them everything would have been perfect.”
BJR’s Darwin form was headlined by a pair of Sunday podiums for Andre Heimgartner.
Bryce Fullwood also took two top 10s, while Macauley Jones finished seventh in Race 2.
