DJR, Triple Eight confirm pre-season test dates

The Shell V-Power Racing Team and Red Bull Ampol Racing have confirmed when they will complete pre-season testing programmes for their Gen3 Supercars.

Dick Johnson Racing shook down its #11 Shell V-Power Ford Mustang today at Queensland Raceway after the sister #17 entry ran last week, either side of the track debut for both of Triple Eight Race Engineering’s Red Bull Ampol Chevrolet Camaros at the same venue seven days ago.

With a championship-organised all-in test at Sydney Motorsport Park to take place this Wednesday, February 22, it means both will test again between then and the Thrifty Newcastle 500 season-opener on March 10-12.

A Triple Eight spokesperson has advised Speedcafe.com that it will stagger ‘Test #1’ with one car on each of February 27 and February 28 while, at fellow homologation outfit DJR, Team Principal Ben Croke has confirmed to Speedcafe.com that it will run both of its cars on the latter.

It is likely that the other two Queensland teams, namely PremiAir Racing and the Truck Assist-backed Matt Stone Racing, will also test their Camaros on either or across both of those dates.

Today, both Anton De Pasquale and Will Davison in fact had seat time in the former’s #11 DJR Mustang; Tim Slade getting his first substantial time in a PremiAir car, specifically his own #23 entry; and Jack Le Brocq and Cameron Hill were again sharing driving duties, this time in the former’s #34 MSR machine.

Tickford Racing has already confirmed to Speedcafe.com that the balance of its pre-season private testing, for the #5 and #56 Ford Mustangs of James Courtney and Declan Fraser respectively, will be held at Winton on March 1.

Fellow Victorian teams Walkinshaw Andretti United, Team 18, and Grove Racing also have a test day up their sleeves for each of their two cars.

Per Supercars’ “flexible testing program”, teams are not compelled to test their cars on the same day as each other, but ‘Test #1’ is a use-it-or-lose-it matter which may only be taken before the Newcastle 500.

‘Test #2’ is the Sydney Motorsport Park outing, notwithstanding that it will take place before ‘Test #1’ for the majority of entries in the Repco Supercars Championship field.

Team 18 in fact also has shakedowns of both of its Camaros to come tomorrow, after abandoning today’s planned running due to a gremlin in its steering wheels, which are control parts.