DJR's rare chance to evaluate next-gen drivers
Ryan Story has reiterated how critical Monday’s driver evaluation is for the young drivers on hand.
The Shell V-Power Racing Team is undertaking an evaluation day for Jett Johnson, Tom Sargent and Kai Allen.
Monday’s running was doubly significant for third-generation racer Johnson.
The teenager cut laps in a Shell V-Power Ford along with grandfather Dick and father Steven.
The Shell V-Power Racing Team is conducting Monday’s running to hand the three young drivers a chance to work with a big team.
For Ryan, the opportunity has not only been earned, but it is necessary for their development.
"All three of these young kids who have earnt the opportunity to have a steer in one of our cars today," DJR Executive Chairman and co-owner Story explained.
Jett Johnson with grandfather Dick and father Steven
"It will give us a good opportunity to evaluate them and a good opportunity for them to interact in a professional way with the engineers and see how a professional team operates.
"That’s an important part of anyone’s progression as they come up through the ranks, is having opportunities such as the one that we’re offering today for these three young kids.
"They need those opportunities to be able to get to that next step and to be able to continue their development."
Johnson, Sargent and Allen are all in different disciplines of racing, but have tasted success.
Sargent’s running comes off the back of winning the 2021 Australian Formula Ford Championship.
Sargent, 20, won the Bathurst 6 Hour last month, and recently won a Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge race.
Johnson last year won a TA2 title and is racing in Trans Am.
Allen, meanwhile, has impressed in Super3 and regularly challenges Super2 drivers.
Story was glowing of third-generation racer Johnson, who turned 17 in March.
"Jett has got the opportunity today to do a driver evaluation day and that’s something he has earnt," Story said.
"The way he has earnt that has been through all of the efforts that he’s been doing with his TA2 car.
"He’s a very mature young man and someone we are very proud of as a team.
"I know how much his grandfather and grandmother are proud of him, and Steve is still such an instrumental part in everything we do."
Monday’s running has been punctuated by passing showers, which only made the day more difficult for the junior trio.
Allen, who races an Eggleston Motorsport Commodore in Super3, was revelling in such a "massive" team environment.
"Just trying to soak up as much information as I can," the 16-year-old told Supercars.com.
"The guys here have been great, they’ve been teaching me everything about the car.
"It’s pretty cool being in a massive environment like they run.
"The first session was good because it was dry, the second was wet.
"I was on my tip-toes crawling around and stay on the track."
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