DJR boss labels Townsville race fades 'frustrating'
Both DJR cars dropped from grid positions
Will Davison fourth to eighth, fifth to 12th
Anton De Pasquale 13th on Sunday after Saturday DNF
Dick Johnson Racing CEO David Noble wants his team to "replicate our best pace on a regular basis” after both cars went backwards in the Townsville races.
The Shell V-Power Mustangs were quick over one lap, with Will Davison — who claimed Saturday provisional pole — and Anton De Pasquale reaching both Shootouts.
Davison was in podium contention on Saturday, but came home eighth. Come Sunday, and the 2013 Townsville winner fought in the top five early on, but finished 12th following a long battle with pole-sitter Jack Le Brocq.
The results hurt DJR in the teams’ championship, with the Ford squad dropping from third to fifth behind Tickford Racing and Penrite Racing.
Noble has called on his team to convert in the races, saying in Ford communications: “It’s been frustrating.
"We keep putting the cars into the Top 10 and getting a reasonable grid spot, but not converting in the races.
“We’re part-way there, but part-way is not good enough. That’s not going to win races or championships for us.
“We have to replicate our best pace on a regular basis. Keep digging into the data. Look at the best parts of what we’re achieving and keep moving forward.”
Of Ford teams, DJR (228 points) was out-scored by Tickford Racing (510), Walkinshaw Andretti United (423) and Penrite Racing (396), with Blanchard Racing Team just behind (207).
De Pasquale echoed Noble’s comments, saying on the broadcast: “You’re battling out there. We do 88 laps and end up, me and Will, half a second apart after 88 laps.
“It's not a good feeling, we’re just struggling for speed in the race… the car just didn’t have what we needed to make a race work around here, which is that flow, tyre life, consistency.”
Next weekend, the season resumes in Sydney, where De Pasquale claimed a Sunday podium.
