Keeping Up With The Joneses

The Joneses have been regulars in Supercars over the last two decades. And in 2019, the next generation arrived with Macauley Jones, son of team boss Brad Jones, stepping up from the Dunlop Super2 Series into the Team CoolDrive entry at Brad Jones Racing.

- James Crocker

Macauley Jones’ rookie season coincides with Brad Jones Racing’s 20th in the main game of Supercars and marks a return of the Jones name to the full-time field for the first time in 11 years.

Having spent the last five seasons with Brad Jones Racing’s Dunlop Super2 Series team, Jones took over from Tim Blanchard in the #21 Team CoolDrive entry in 2019, with Blanchard stepping back into a team management role.

For those who have kept a keen eye on the Dunlop Super2 Series, there are few questions against Jones’ readiness for the step up. Having been a perennial contender over his time in the series and a winner of the Bathurst mini-enduro race in 2017, the only thing that stopped him from having a glittering pre-Supercars CV was luck, with part failures at crucial times robbing him of wins and a chance at a title.

Jones is no rookie when it comes to racing in the top tier, with wildcard appearances at Winton and Darwin in 2017 and Darwin and The Bend Motorsport Park in 2018 along with co-drives in the PIRTEK Enduro Cup over the past four seasons giving him invaluable experience against the best in the country and opening Jones’ eyes to the difference between the tiers.

“It just makes you realise the jump that you’re getting into,” says Jones.

“It sets you up a little bit better to understand data, maximising everything you’ve got and managing tyres, which is something that Super2 doesn’t really get you much of a feel for, in particular those longer races where you’re having to manage the car over the longer distances, manage different sets of tyres, hard versus soft tyres as well.”

Finally entering the top tier of Supercars is vindication for Jones’ efforts over the last five seasons and somewhat of a relief for the rookie.