Mid-air deals seal early NASCAR debut for Perkins
Mid-air deals deal early NASCAR debut for Jack Perkins
Perkins to contest Chicago NASCAR Xfinifty race next weekend
2015 Gold Coast winner will also race in Portland next month
Jack Perkins has revealed the last-minute nature of an early NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with Joe Gibbs Racing, which will now take place in Chicago.
Before Friday's announcement, he veteran had already been slated for his debut in the Xfinity Series at the Portland road course on August 30.
However, his debut has now been brought forward, courtesy of a deal to race in Chicago next weekend.
En route to Darwin last week, where he was undertaking broadcast duties for Supercars and the Seven Network, Perkins received a message from JGR.
It led to mid-air messages with sponsors, with Perkins spending the four-hour flight sealing the deal. Notably, Shaw and Partners Financial Services CEO Earl Evans, who is co-owner of Triple Eight Race Engineering, stepped in to help.
Perkins will also carry backing from Southern Cross Truck Rentals, Muscle Car Warehouse, ACL, TLC Auto Centre, ARB Penrith, Xpress Fleet, Pfitzner Performance Gearboxes, Interior Projects by Vereker and Veracity Media.
"I thought doing one @nascar @xfinityracing Race this year was unbelievable! But it’s just incredible to announce today that we are also racing at Chicago next weekend driving the #19 @shawandpartners_ Toyota Supra for @joegibbsracing,” Perkins wrote on social media.
"On Friday as I was heading to Darwin with @7sportau for Supercars, I got the call from JGR that they were looking for a driver for the 19 at the only street track on the NASCAR calendar.
"At the airport I called Earl Evans from Shaw and Partners Financial Services and told him about the vacancy and to have a think about it on the flight to Darwin.
"Earl instantly said we don’t think, we make decisions and you’ve got to do it, and stick around Sunday to cheer on and support my old team mate in @willbrown38 in the Cup Series race on Sunday.
"Thankfully I had WiFi on the plane to Darwin and was able to sort out some of the details at 36,000 feet! I can’t wait to represent Shaw and Partners Financial Partners, Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota at one of the flagship NASCAR events on their schedule - the Chicago Street Race."
The 2015 Gold Coast 500 winner will share the track Shane van Gisbergen, who will race a JR Motorsports Chevrolet before tackling the Cup Series race with Trackhouse.
Reigning Supercars champion Will Brown will also take on the Chicago Cup Series race.
Tickford Racing star Cam Waters, meanwhile, will contest this weekend's Truck Series race at Lime Rock.
