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Davison Heads Double Ford Podium in Emotional DJR Victory

Staff, Tuesday March 11, 2008.

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Will Davison today rocketed the #18 Jim Beam Racing Falcon to an emotional victory for the Dick Johnson Racing (DJR) team at Eastern Creek in Sydney with a race and round win.

Ford Performance Racing driver Mark Winterbottom joined him in a Ford one-two finish in the #5 Orrcon Ford Performance Racing FPR Falcon.

After Saturday’s poor qualifying session for The Blue Oval which saw the red side dominate, Ford today fought back and put to bed controversy over the tussles at Clipsal amongst its V8 Supercar stars.

Ford filled the top three positions in race two with Davison taking out the win in the 31 lap race on the 3.93 kilometre circuit – Winterbottom and Craig Lowndes graciously followed him home.

In a stellar drive Davison’s win was DJR’s first since 2001 when Steven Johnson and Paul Radisich took out the Queensland 500 behind the wheel of the famous #17 Falcon.

"It’s just unbelievable, it’s a full credit to the whole team and I can’t thank everyone enough," said Will Davison

"I would have been stoked just to have been on the podium – with a race win earlier today and now a round win, well it’s going to do wonders for everyone in the team."

"DJR has some pretty exciting things going on this year and it feels like hopefully our situation is starting to stabilise."

"Everyone saw the DJR garage at Bathurst, there was a lot of emotion when we were running at the front and when we ended up on the podium. It was a similar feeling today."

"Naturally you’d always like to believe you’re on top of things and psychologically as strong as possible, but a win like this has got to do something for your confidence. I feel great, I feel very comfortable in the environment I’m in and I have a lot of faith in the team."

"I had to talk to myself a lot, I kept thinking how good it was going to be to win a race, and I had to tell myself to pull my head myself that anything can happen. I had to remind myself how hard I’d worked to get in this position and not to blow it."

Winterbottom took out the third and final 31 lap race and scored himself second place on the podium as team-mate Steven Richards dealt with a devastating crash that left the #6 Castrol FPR Falcon badly damaged.

"It was like sudden death today when they pulled the safety car out due to Richo’s incident, I was in the lead and we were left with a two lap dash to the finish."

"We got faster and faster all weekend. Yesterday after qualifying we almost booked an earlier flight home for today because we didn’t expect to be on the podium, so to fight back is a pretty incredible achievement."

” . . a Ford one, two, three in race two, plus the double podium, proves we are still on top of the game.”

Ford Motorsport Manager Ray Price was undoubtedly pleased with the result which saw clean competitive driving amongst Ford’s finest V8 Supercar drivers.

"There have been a number of displays of driving among our drivers that show just how competitive we are, and today was a prime example given our qualifying was less than desirable," said Ray Price.

"Bathurst last year was a prime example of some of the best racing we’ve seen in ten years and it was all Falcons battling it out for the win."

"At Clipsal we saw that same competitiveness and skill however it ended badly. We’ve regained some ground this weekend and a Ford one, two, three in race two, plus the double podium, proves we are still on top of the game."

"Dick Johnson Racing as a team have improved continually and been prime contenders in recent times – the win was well deserved and Will is one of Ford?s true talents."

Ford’s talented line-up of V8 Supercars will hit the track again next weekend in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix (13-16 March) for the new-format Manufacturer’s Challenge which pits Blue against Red.

EASTERN CREEK TOP TEN

1. #18 Will Davison, Jim Beam Racing, Ford
2. #5 Mark Winterbottom, Orrcon Ford Credit FPR Falcon, Ford
3. #1 Garth Tander, HRT, Holden
4. #15 Rick Kelly, HSV Dealer Team, Holden
5. #88 Jamie Whincup, TeamVodafone, Ford
6. #888 Craig Lowndes, TeamVodafone, Ford
7. #39 Russell Ingall, Supercheap, Holden
8. #2 Mark Skaife, HRT, Holden
9. #33 Lee Holdsworth, Valvoline Cummins, Holden
10. #51 Greg Murphy, Tasman Motorsport, Holden

2008 V8 SUPERCAR CHAMPIONSHIP TOP TEN

1. #88 Jamie Whincup, TeamVodafone, Ford – 540 pts
2. #15 Rick Kelly, HSV Dealer Team, Holden – 432 pts
3. #33 Lee Holdsworth, Valvoline Cummins, Holden – 426 pts
4. #5 Mark Winterbottom, Ford Performance Racing, Ford – 382 pts
5. #18 Will Davison, Jim Beam Racing, Ford – 356 pts
6. #888 Craig Lowndes, TeamVodafone, Ford – 339 pts
7. #51 Greg Murphy, Tasman Motorsport, Holden – 330 pts
8. #1 Garth Tander, HRT, Holden – 326 pts
9. #2 Mark Skaife, Toll HRT, Holden – 322 pts
10. #7 Todd Kelly, Jack Daniels Racing, Holden – 308 pts

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