SITTING in a 'laid back armchair' that can do 260 kilometres down Conrod Straight - that's where Cameron Crick's chance meeting with Bathurst driver Dean Campbell has taken him.
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The son of six-time Australian Super Truck champion Rodney Crick, 25-year-old Cameron Crick is acting as a team-mate for Campbell in this year's Australian Production Car Series.
On Friday afternoon at Mount Panorama as the final round of that series kicked off, Crick delivered the Bathurst team yet another class podium.
He placed second in the A1 class and eighth outright in the DA Campbell Transport Mitsubishi EVO X.
And Crick, who also races in the Super2 series for Eggleston Motorsport, had a whole lot of fun doing it.
"I've been doing a lot of driving this year that's for sure, but these feel pretty much like a laid back arm chair compared to the Super2s," he said.
"We're still doing 260 down Conrod though, so they're still pretty quick."
So how did Crick become a part of the Bathurst team? It all began when he offered Campbell a helping hand during a track day at Eastern Creek.
"He was just there one of the first times in the car and I went over and gave him a hand and we've been talking ever since," he said.
"We've become really good mates now Dean and I, we probably talk every day. He's gotten faster and faster and for me to help him and then get in and drive, we just have fun now."
With help from Crick, Campbell arrived at Mount Panorama for the series finale sitting second in the battle for the A1 Class championship behind Jimmy Vernon.
A margin of 79 points separated the duo.
Campbell conceded it was a big margin to try and make up, but spurred on by being part of the inaugural Bathurst International event he will be giving it his all.
As the cars took to the track for practice and then qualifying on Friday morning, it was little surprise to see Vernon and Campbell battling for fastest A1 honours.
Campbell was initially quickest in practice before Vernon peeled off a 2:26.7030 on his seventh lap to leapfrog him.
In qualifying it was even closer as 0.108 seconds separated the duo, Vernon locking in ninth on the grid for the opening race and Campbell 10th.
Crick was then given the job for race one on Friday afternoon - the first of four 30-minute contests scheduled for the round.
He made a brilliant start and got past Vernon, but on lap three Vernon pulled off a passing move and got back in front of him.
With half of the race gone the gap between the pair stood at 1.4 seconds, but Crick edged closer as he tried hard to find an overtaking opportunity.
Crick did his fastest lap of the race his ninth time around the Mount - a 2:25.8005 - and while that was better than Vernon's best mark, he couldn't get by him.
Vernon ended up in seventh outright and first in class, Crick finishing just 0.031 seconds behind him.
"A couple of lapped cars got in-between us and made it a little bit awkward, but the car was good, we had a good battle, we were sort of nose to tail the whole way really," Crick said.
"We're always dicing and fighting and it's good fun, Dean obviously has me along to help him out and we have a good time.
"If it's pretty dry tomorrow I'd say Dean will do both races and I might do the Sunday morning, but if it's raining he'll want to race."
Outright honours in the opening Australian Production Cars race went to Jayden Ojeda ahead of Drew Russell, with Orange's Tim Leahey third.
The second of four 30-minute races Campbell and Crick will contest this weekend commences at 7.20am Saturday.
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