Will Davison is hoping to continue the #17 Shell V-Power Racing Team Ford’s recent run of wins in Darwin and snap a drought of his own in the process.
In Scott McLaughlin’s four years in the iconic #17 entry, he never failed to take at least one race victory from a round at the Top End. Last year in fact he took four wins from six starts at Hidden Valley Raceway.
Davison, who succeeded McLaughlin when he departed in the off-season for the IndyCar Series, meanwhile is hungry to return to the top step of the podium for the first time since the 2016 Bathurst 1000.
Australia’s north hasn’t been overly kind to the 38-year-old, who has just one race win from more than a decade of visiting both Darwin and Townsville.
That one – at Townsville in 2013 – came with a blemish too, he recounted with a smile.
“There’s a little escape road up here that I try and ignore because the only time I won here was 2013 – so it was a good memory – I was doing doughnuts but no one has ever let it slip the moment that I belted the wall doing my victory doughnut,” Davison said at Townsville today.
“So the aim is to hopefully be doing some more victory doughnuts here in four weeks, but I’ll certainly be steering clear of the fence there.”
The Northern Territory will give him an opportunity first, with the Merlin Darwin Triple Crown running next Friday to Sunday.
DJR has built considerable momentum in the past two events, with Davison taking four podiums from his past five starts. Among those was a team one-two led by Anton De Pasquale at The Bend Motorsport Park last month.
“We have been able to get a second test day under our belt since the last event and we’re only getting stronger,” said Davison.
“We’ve come off the back of double podiums at the last two events, so a one-two race result in Adelaide, and I’ve had five podiums this year and I’m fourth in the points and I feel like I’m getting stronger every event.
“So yeah, at the end of the day, we’re going to keep that trend going as the year goes on, setting the bar higher each race and now realistically I’m gunning for wins. Anything but that now is a disappointment.
“I’m really, really happy with how the season has started, we’re meshing well as a team, it’s a real honour to be in the #17 Shell V-Power Mustang and driving for Dick [Johnson] and DJR.
“The team is amazing so I’m just absolutely loving the challenge and the pressure that comes with it.”
