Jacobson raring for comeback after hiatus

Garry Jacobson is excited for his new challenge as a Tickford Racing co-driver in the Gen3 era ahead of his first starts in over a year.

Jacobson will race alongside Thomas Randle in the #55 Castrol Mustang at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 and Repco Bathurst 1000.

It has been a big 12 months for Jacobson, who after making a fast start to the 2022 season with PremiAir Racing, was dropped by the team six rounds in.

He has kept a low profile since, but started a diesel mechanic apprenticeship, and also married high school sweetheart Naomi, with whom he is expecting his first child.

All the while, Jacobson has been readying for his return to the main game, be it testing on Randle’s simulator and cutting laps at Norwell Motorplex.

Jacobson has already tested Tickford’s Gen3 Fords, first getting behind the wheel at the Sydney test before joining the team at weather-affected Winton running.

This year’s enduros will be Jacobson’s first as a co-driver since 2018, having raced as primary driver between 2019 and 2021 during his full-time days.

Earlier this year, the 31-year-old Victorian was announced as one of two new Tickford co-drivers, with Tyler Everingham joining Declan Fraser.

Jacobson is no stranger to the Campbellfield-based Ford squad, having won the 2016 Super2 title with the team.

Less than six weeks from his Supercars comeback, Jacobson is champing at the bit to try his hand at the Gen3 Mustang in anger.

“I like the fact that it’s a change,” he told the Schick Cool Down Lap podcast of the Gen3 cars.

“Once you’re under pressure in a race, it’ll be interesting to see how the cars behave in dirty air. That’s my main focus.

"I see the lap time differences when someone’s got fresh tyres on versus someone that’s struggling to get to the finish line.

“That part of the sport interests me — I think the tyre degradation is good in terms of making the racing interesting.”

On Randle, Jacobson said: “He’s got a fun personality, we suit each other, we haven’t got to the serious side of the year yet.

June 2022: Jacobson's last appearance

“We’ve had a few test days, but we’ve had a lot of rain. Up and down pit lane, out of the co-drivers, we’ve had the most practice in the wet.

“It’ll be interesting when we get to Sandown — how often do you get a dry weekend at Sandown? Never.”

Jacobson mulled a Super2 return to prepare for the enduros, but differences to the Gen2 cars — which now run in Super2 — and finances didn’t stack up.

However, the Shepparton local didn’t rule out a comeback in 2024 to the development series if the opportunity was right.

“In another situation, I probably would’ve done Super2 this year,” he said.

“But because the cars aren’t as similar at the moment, I wasn’t as financially motivated to find sponsors to do that.

“We’ll see how it looks next year, and if the preparation changes.”

Jacobson is set to test again with Tickford ahead of the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 on September 15-17, before the Repco Bathurst 1000 on October 5-8.