Extra driving an advantage for Gen3 Supercars, says Story

Shell V-Power Racing Executive Chairman Ryan Story says that racing in other categories carried out by 2022 Supercars Champion Shane van Gisbergen and runner up, Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters, gives them a head-start for next season’s Gen3 cars, yet his drivers do not need to do the same.“There’s no doubt in my mind, particularly with Gen3 and the lack of downforce, it’s going to be the guys who’ve got experience in other cars and other categories that have low downforce, that have perennial understeer – there’s no doubt in my mind [that] those guys at the start will likely have success,” Story told Speedcafe.com.

Testing of the 2023 Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro Gen3 Supercars began this week with three days of aero testing, known as VCAT, underway at Wellcamp Airport near Toowoomba in Queensland.

“I think some of the guys who are a bit older and who’ve got a lot of experience without a couple of hundred kilos of downforce will probably start the year off and be more competitive.

“Guys like Shane, who does a lot of racing in other categories – certainly Cam Waters who does speedway – those guys will really, really kill the pig in the start of Gen3, and I think Will [Davison] will be another one like that given his experience.”

Despite the highlighting the benefits of additional driving duties, which included the Le Mans 24 Hours and stunning World Rally Championship debut for van Gisbergen, while Waters competed in the Northline Speedway titles, Story said that DJR drivers Davison and Anton DePasquale don’t need to spend time in other categories to succeed in Gen3.

“The level of experience [that] these guys have got – I mean Anton’s got an enormous amount of open-wheel experience. If you look at something like Formula Ford, you’ve got no aero at all, so again he’s got an enormous amount of experience.

“And you look at Will, just his experience in Supercars as these cars have developed, because over the years the downforce has gone up and up and up – his experience with open-wheel cars and cars with no downforce is going to be invaluable, no question.”

Davison is the higher-placed of the pair, currently in fourth place in the standings, with Anton DePasquale in fifth. While Red Bull Ampol Racing secured the teams championship at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, the DJR duo has achieved a safe second place for DJR ahead of the final round at Adelaide.

“There’s no doubt in my mind we’ve got great driver line-up – we’ve seen it through the year. Like I said, we’ve made a couple of mistakes that have cost a few wins, which hurts, but these guys have just done an amazing job.

“We’ve got our drivers locked in, they’re both locked in long-term, they’re doing a fantastic job and I really can’t wait until next year to see the S650 Mustang and to racing Gen 3 – I think it will be fantastic.”