Steven Johnson will compete in the next two rounds of the Dunlop Series as he aims to get race-ready for the Pirtek Enduro Cup.
Johnson will link with Matt Stone Racing for the Townsville and Queensland Raceway events, with the team expanding to run four cars for the first time.
The 39-year-old will be behind the wheel of an ex-Stone Brothers Racing Falcon owned by Terry Wyhoon and raced earlier in the season by Taz Douglas.
Sporting #170, the car will run in full Wilson Security DJR livery and be engineered by Campbell Little.
Johnson’s only seat time with DJR during the season to date has been at a ride day following the Perth 400.
“The team really wanted me to drive something through the year this year to blow the cobwebs out and prepare for the endurance races,” Johnson, who’ll join David Wall for the Pirtek Enduro Cup, told Speedcafe.com.
“The Dunlop Series really is the ideal way of doing that.
“We looked at Australian GT and a few other things but this was the best option for us and I’m pretty stoked with the way it’s worked out.”
Johnson enjoyed a very brief run with MSR at Queensland Raceway while coaching Austin Cindric earlier this month, but will not get a chance to test the ex-Tim Slade Ford before Townsville.
MSR also fields Ashley Walsh, Todd Hazelwood and Michael Hector in the Dunlop Series, with Walsh leading the points standings after three rounds.
“I’m thrown in the deep end a bit because I won’t get a chance to test or anything beforehand,” said Johnson, with the car yet to arrive at MSR’s Queensland headquarters.
“We’re looking to do a test in between Townsville and QR, so it’ll just be a matter of everything as good as we can in the workshop before we hit the track.”
Johnson is also hopeful of joining the Touring Car Masters for a one-off appearance in John Bowe’s Ford Mustang prior to September’s Sandown 500.
The yet-to-be confirmed plan will see Bowe step into another car, expected to either be Tony Hunter’s Chevrolet Monza or under-construction Holden Torana SLR/5000, at the next round of the season at Sydney Motorsport Park.
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