Fraser has endured a rough second season to date in the main game following two years on the sidelines, outshone by rookie teammate Jayden Ojeda.
The 25-year-old Queenslander appeared to take a step forward on Friday when he qualified a career-best 11th.
However, Fraser ended the weekend with a trio of 21st placed finishes, having qualified 26th on Saturday and 25th on Sunday.
“Honestly, the #777 is in the wrong postcode at the moment. It was looking good on Friday. It’s gone backwards since,” Dane told Speedcafe on Sunday.
“We’ve got a rookie test day for him on Wednesday. We’ll try and make some sense of it. But it’s not good enough.”
The rookie test at Queensland Raceway will take place just a day after the team’s transporter returns to PremiAir’s Gold Coast base.
Secure your spot today.
Dane said the test – Fraser’s only allocated rookie day of the season – has been planned for months, rather than being a reaction to Townsville.
Fraser’s weekend at the Reid Park street circuit included a steering rack change on Saturday night amid complaints over front-end feel.
“I don’t know there was anything wrong with it. There might be something else,” said Dane. “There was an issue, but that’s not the issue.”
The inference that Fraser is under pressure is obvious, but does not mean PremiAir is about to repeat its history of mid-season driver changes.
Speculation that such drastic action could be on the cards emerged ahead of the weekend but has been dismissed by Dane.
“I never say never about anything. Somebody could get run over by a milk float tomorrow, but the intention is that absolutely he does the season,” Dane said.
“He’s contracted to do it, so we’ll give him the opportunity. We’re a couple of events away from the enduros anyway.”
Next year, though, is another story, with only Ojeda so far confirmed to continue in the line-up.
“We haven’t made a call and we won’t for some several months about the #777 car,” Dane said of next season.
“Declan is the incumbent and he’s in the mix, but so are other people, that’s for sure.”
Fraser is set to be joined in the Enduro Cup by Tickford Super2 driver Nash Morris, while Ojeda is partnered by co-driving veteran David Russell.
Discussion about this post