Story plotting DJR's course back to the top in 2025
DJR suffered first winless season in eight years
Brodie Kostecki replacing Team 18-bound Anton De Pasquale
De Pasquale claimed most recent DJR win in July 2023
After a first winless season for Dick Johnson Racing in eight years, Dr Ryan Story has firmly outlined the team's "clear objective" to return to the pointy end.
Story returned to the Team Principal post late last December, when the wheels were already in motion for 2024.
In a big 12 months for the famous Ford team, the likes of Ludo Lacroix, Ben Croke, Perry Kapper and Richard Harris have all moved on, with Anton De Pasquale joining Team 18.
Among the "big changes" for 2025, as described by Story, will be the arrival of 2023 Supercars champion Brodie Kostecki and engineers George Commins and Tom Moore, all joining from Erebus Motorsport.
Beyond Kostecki, the headline change is DJR's deal to run Erebus-built chassis in 2025, marking a shift away from PACE Innovations-built machinery.
After a year dictated by DJR's homologation and engine efforts, Story has already set his gaze on 2025.
“Season 2025 starts now. This has not been the year we wanted or expected," Story said after Adelaide.
“Two cars in the Top Ten Shootout and fourth place with Will Davison on Sunday was a small consolation, but it was still too little and too late.
“There will be big changes at DJR next year and the clear objective is to get back to where we belong – at the front of the field.”
The mountain DJR had to climb in 2024 was set out early by Story, who said after Round 1 that a "huge amount of work" was still needed.
A return to form in New Zealand was "only the start" of where the team wanted to be, but it ultimately fell short.
The gravity of such changes may take some time to set in, with DJR to go through its biggest facelift since the Penske era ended in 2020.
With that in mind, the new-for-2025 Finals Series could play into DJR's hands, with De Pasquale and Will Davison both fighting for the podium in the final race of the season.
"We're not gonna roll out of the box at Round 1 and be at the peak of our powers. It's going to take us some time, and we need to use that time wisely," Story recently told Supercars' Schick Cool Down Lap podcast.
"I think [the Finals] a fantastic opportunity for us to really spend the year to get our shit sorted, and really fire when it counts."
Kostecki and Davison will test their new Fords at the all-in Sydney test on February 19 before the opening round on February 21-23. Tickets are on sale now.
