The 25-year quirk behind Webb's surprise Bathurst cameo
2009 champion Jonathon Webb returns to Super2 grid for Bathurst
Webb linking up with good friend James Masterton for cameo appearance
Masterton Motorsport Mustang returns to field for first time since 2024 Bathurst 500
An opportunity to get his long-time friend back on the Super2 grid was one that was too good to refuse for Jonathon Webb.
The 2009 Super2 Series champion and 2016 Bathurst 1000 winner returns to the development series grid at the Repco Bathurst 1000, driving an ex-Tickford Mustang for Masterton Motorsport.
Webb's return stems from a relationship that has spanned for a quarter of a decade with James Masterton, who was a Dunlop Series competitor himself from 2020 until the opening round of the 2024 season at Mount Panorama last year.
The son of former ATCC privateer Steve Masterton graduated from Super3 to Super2 in 2023 with the chassis that Webb will commandeer on the Mountain, with Masterton's #219 making way for Webb's trademark #19.
"At a guess it would be 25-26 years now, he was working in a Sea-Doo shop and I was doing my automotive apprenticeship," Webb recounted to Supercars.com.
"We worked in the factories across from each other. We were obviously just a couple of young blokes who love some cool toys, and we've really just kept in touch ever since."
Piloting the #19 Nulon Mustang will mark the second straight season that Webb makes a cameo Super2 appearance at Bathurst, having been a late call-up to replace Cooper Murray at Eggleston Motorsport last year.
Ironically, Eggleston's withdrawal of Elliott Cleary, who is still recovering from the hand injury that kept him out of both races in Ipswich, saw an opportunity open with the oil brand, who back the #38 Commodore of Cleary.
"With Bathurst looming, I thought you know what, I want to be there, I want to be on the grid, and I had a lot of fun there last year," Webb explained.
"So I got on the phone, the first thing I needed was a race team and a race car, and I've been good mates with James for a long, long time now, and he had his car sitting there.
"He had a lot of new gear from Tickford underneath it, so I know it's going to be a good car, and from there you've got to put the rest of the team together.
"Nulon and myself have had a good relationship for a long time now, and I know they usually have a car in Super2, but unfortunately Elliott Cleary, who they normally support, had that injury at QR.
"It made sense. I wanted to go racing, they wanted a car on the grid, so that's basically where it all began, and the it's been a busy couple of weeks putting the rest of it together from there."
Despite having ticked off several major career milestones, including winning the 2016 Bathurst 12 Hour in a McLaren mere months before his 1000 victory, Webb still finds the Mountain calling to him come October.
"As everyone says, and we all repeat it, there's nothing like the Mountain. It's an amazing track, a Supercar I think is a very suitable car for that sort of place.
"Every time it comes around, there's 10 months a year where we get distracted by everything else, but that last month or two leading up to Bathurst, that's the place you want to be."
Having contested in sporadic historic meeting this year, the Sydneysider isn't expecting to be contending for race wins in the return for both driver and team, however is looking forward to the event nonetheless.
"It's always hard to know depending on how things play out, but I'd like to be in the top 10 all weekend.
"We can stay there, stay out of trouble, and come home with a clean car and ideally have a lot of fun."
On-track action for the Dunlop Super2 Series at Bathurst begins on Thursday.
