FORMER Supercars team owner Jonathon Webb admits curiosity got the better of him, inspiring his Gen3 cameo yesterday.
Webb has kept a low profile since selling his Team Sydney licences at the start of last year, paving the way for Peter Xiberras to launch PremiAir Racing as the championship’s newest outfit.
Having also chalked up 154 championship races behind the wheel, including a Bathurst 1000 victory and a solo win at Homebush, Webb has not raced at Supercars level since the 2021 Great Race.
But the countless opinions he’s heard on the new Gen3 cars enticed him to make a rare return, popping up at the mid-season test at Queensland Raceway yesterday.
MORE: Favourite emerges for vacant MSR co-drive
In a favour extended to him by Xiberras, Webb enjoyed an afternoon stint in the #23 Nulon Camaro usually driven by Tim Slade.
“That was the biggest thing, that’s why I kept onto the boys about ‘can I come have a play, I’ve heard all about it but haven’t driven one’. It was good,” Webb told V8 Sleuth.
“I’ve been sitting at home watching on the lounge and curiosity got to me with what they’re about.
“It probably wasn’t as different from the old car as what I was expecting.
“There was obviously a few changes here and there but it probably was better than I expected.”
Webb is not a contender for the vacant Slade co-drive, but will continue to make sporadic track appearances as he’s already done this year at the Bathurst 12 Hour and Adelaide Motorsport Festival.
A gearbox issue for the #23 cost PremiAir crucial mileage yesterday but the team still did manage to allocate laps to co-driving candidates Kurt Kostecki and Matt Chahda.
Dylan O’Keeffe meanwhile is locked in to share the #31 with James Golding at Sandown and Bathurst.
