Davison frustrated by van Gisbergen run-ins
A pair of Saturday run-ins with Shane van Gisbergen has left Will Davison frustrated at the ARMOR ALL Sydney SuperNight.
Van Gisbergen won the floodlit Race 23 in a canter ahead of Red Bull Ampol Racing teammate Jamie Whincup.
Davison came home a distant third, having held out Nick Percat in a thrilling closing-laps battle.
Van Gisbergen and Davison started third and fourth respectively and ran side-by-side through Turn 1 on the opening lap.
The two cars made contact, and Davison ran wide across the ripple strip out of Turn 1.
Davison dropped two wheels off the road but remained line astern with van Gisbergen on the run to Turn 2.
Van Gisbergen was then allowed safe passage past into Turn 2 when Davison ran wide.
The #17 Shell V-Power Racing Team Mustang also dropped behind Brodie Kostecki and Cameron Waters.
It came after Davison was shadowed in close quarters by van Gisbergen in practice earlier in the day.
“A bit of an ordinary opening stint,” Davison said in PIRTEK Victory Lane.
"I tried to go two-wide with Shane through [Turn] 1.
"I don’t know what his problem is with me, but he tried to screw me in practice this morning.
"Just had me off out of [Turn] 1. Bit weird.”
In the post-race press conference, van Gisbergen earned Davison's ire after comments regarding Anton De Pasquale.
De Pasquale, who was class of the field last weekend, started last following an electrical issue in qualifying.
"I guess the good DJR car wasn't up front, so we don't know if we're really that fast," van Gisbergen remarked.
"You know what I mean... we'll see how fast we are tomorrow because he'll be up the front."
However, van Gisbergen admitted fault for the first-lap contact, saying aero wash from Davison's car caused understeer.
"When he went off, I backed off and let him back on. He went wide at [Turn] 2," van Gisbergen added.
"It was my mistake. He crowded me and took the aero off the outside and I understeered. My fault."
Davison, who was also forced onto the grass on an opening lap last week, clarified his victory lane comments, and lamented De Pasquale's qualifying woes.
"It was a little bit of a something... a pretty tough race for me," Davison said.
"It was good to hang on and give the guys a trophy, they deserve it, particularly after the heartbreak with Anton, he's really been the man.
"He's been so fast, it was hard to see that car start off the back.
"I just asked if [van Gisbergen] saw me on the outside of [Turn] 1, I think he just understeered into me.
"It's never ideal going side-by-side, but that's racing. I just ended off in the boonies.
"We try and race hard and try and race fair."
Cars will return to the track on Sunday for Race 24 qualifying at 2:30pm AEDT.
Race 24 will commence at 4:35pm, with the floodlit Race 25 to follow at 7:30pm.
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