IT is no wonder Jarrod Hughes was feeling banged up after being ploughed into by an out-of-control Mason Kelly in the Saturday Super2 race at Ipswich.
A post-round physio consult indicated Hughes’ left shoulder dislocated and then popped back in during the violent crash, an impact which he revealed via the Cool Down Lap podcast exceeded 50G.
“That’s why it hurt so much when the crash happened,” Hughes told V8 Sleuth.
Kelly was docked 35 championship points for reckless driving, while Hughes and his #118 Commodore were sidelined from the Sunday action.
The moment of impact between Mason Kelly and an innocent Jarrod Hughes. Pic: Ross Gibb
He did return to the track on Tuesday however for some crucial Gen3 test day running ahead of his Repco Supercars Championship debut in the upcoming enduros alongside Jack Le Brocq.
“It’s actually not too bad but then some actions it hurts and unfortunately shifting is one of them, so every time I pull a shift it hurts quite a bit,” said the 20-year-old.
“But that’s alright, I just had to push through.
“I learnt heaps and finally got some good laps in the Gen3… I quite like driving these things.”
Hughes was back at it on Wednesday for Supercars passenger ride laps, had yesterday off, and now has the TA2 Tag Team Enduro starting today at Queensland Raceway. He is partnering Craig Lowndes for the event.
He’ll then have a few weeks to rest up before GT4 at The Bend, shortly before making his main game debut at the same venue across September 12-14.
Jarrod Hughes (left) and Jack Le Brocq (middle). Pic: Matthew Paul Photography
Competing in TA2 and GT4 this season has been reassuring for Hughes given how the Super2 season has gone for all three Erebus/Image cars.
Jobe Stewart is 11th in the points, Hughes 20th and Max Geoghegan 22nd.
Hughes and Stewart were the lead two rookies last year in fourth and fifth outright, while Geoghegan swept both Toyota 86 titles.
“We don’t have awesome speed but we have been slightly further back than we should have been at a lot of points,” said Hughes.
“Everything else has been going so good. I’ve said to a few people, I’m so glad I’m doing other things because if I was driving this, I would be like ‘have I lost it or something?’
“But driving other stuff and getting some good results in that, it gives me a bit more confidence that I haven’t just lost talent overnight.
“I don’t know what’s going on. I must have run over a black cat. I’m waiting for a piano to hit me in the head when I’m walking down the street.”
Image Racing boss Terry Wyhoon told V8 Sleuth the Hughes Commodore will be stripped and sent to Mount Gambier for renowned welder James White to complete chassis repairs ahead of the Bathurst Super2 round in October.