As revealed by Speedcafe, Dick Johnson Racing and Tickford Racing tried a range of aerodynamic parts during the recent full-field pre-enduro test at Ipswich.
That has been followed by a Grove Racing rookie test with Kai Allen on Monday at The Bend, where changes to the Ford Coyote V8 engine were evaluated.
Speedcafe understands key Supercars technical staff were at the South Australian circuit to oversee the parity element of the testing.
It’s expected the data from both tests will now be examined as part of a Supercars study into whether the Mustangs need changes to have a fighting chance in October’s Great Race.
Supercars undertook wind tunnel and AVL dyno testing in the US in a bid to stamp out the parity debate following a lopsided introduction of the Gen3 cars in 2023.
However, parity complaints have persisted – with Ford teams adamant they’re at a straightline disadvantage that will kill any chance of Bathurst success.
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A series of studies into specific elements of engine parity have taken place throughout the year, resulting in minor tweaks – including to account for how the engines react to temperature.
This month’s track tests are believed to be the result of Supercars CEO James Warburton’s determination to ensure the issue does not blight the Bathurst 1000 for a third straight year.
The newly installed CEO has pushed the parties involved to be clear around the perceived problems and possible solutions amid an increasingly urgent pre-Bathurst timeframe.
Ford’s homologation team Dick Johnson Racing has been permitted to put forward a range options to test, with the category open to implementing changes if the data supports doing so.
Allowing alterations to the bodywork from that signed off following the $1million wind tunnel program undertaken during the 2023/24 off-season would undoubtedly be controversial.
The correlation between the controlled tunnel and dyno testing, however, has been repeatedly questioned by Ford and its teams amid struggles at certain circuits and in certain conditions.
Supercars is set to work with its three homologation teams on how to improve its wind tunnel practices ahead of a return to the Windshear facility in December.
Monday running at The Bend also included a test for the Blanchard Racing Team’s Aaron Cameron/Zak Best entry, while Grove co-driver Garth Tander cut laps aboard a Carrera Cup Porsche.
The Bend 500 kicks off the Supercars Championship’s Endurance Cup on September 12-14 ahead of the Bathurst 1000 on October 9-12.
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