Decision to sign teen Gray a 'strategic shift' for DJR

Replacing a seasoned veteran with a teenage rookie marks a key “strategic shift” for Dick Johnson Racing, which has made a bold silly season call.

Announced last week, two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Will Davison will make way for Rylan Gray, who turns 19 later this month.

Currently on track to win the Super2 title, Gray is no slouch, and alongside Brodie Kostecki, forms one of the most exciting line-ups on the 2026 grid.

Never before has DJR taken such a punt on youth. Born in 2006, the year Davison made his full-time debut for DJR, Gray is the youngest full-time driver in the team’s long and decorated history.

The youngest DJR driver ever was Kai Allen, who was 18 when he raced a Shell V-Power wildcard at the 2023 Repco Bathurst 1000 with Simona De Silvestro.

It seemed written in the stars that Allen would be DJR’s long-term option. Gray was a relative unknown at that stage, only testing a Supercar for the first time in July 2023 as a 16-year-old.

DJR then moved Allen — who then had a Super2 title — into a co-driver role alongside Davison in 2024. However, Grove Racing signed Allen as soon as he became available, and he has duly claimed five podiums and reached the Semi Final as a rookie.

With Davison struggling for results, the pathway to Gray’s deal was cleared after Bathurst, and the news broke just days after the Gold Coast.

All told, out goes a 43-year-old, 599-race veteran, replaced by a teenager with just on two years’ experience in Supercars machinery. If you thought it was bold to let Allen go and retain Davison, signing a teen rookie to arguably the biggest team in the sport is quite the call.

Gray’s deal also comes with a team that has Todd Hazelwood on its books, the 30-year-old emerging as the leading co-driver alongside Kostecki in recent years.

However, with Gray marching towards a Super2 title, as well as winning in GT4, DJR insisted it has signed a driver on form and results.

Gray is set to be one of five rookies on the 2026 Supercars Championship grid, and will likely be under more pressure than any of them, given the weight of pressure that comes with racing for DJR.

DJR, though, is determined to temper expectations with their new wunderkind, saying it "has structured a comprehensive development program for Gray's rookie season, with a focus on consistent finishes and progressive improvement across the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship."

"Rylan has earned this opportunity through results,” Executive Chairman Dr Ryan Story said.

"We're investing in the future here,” Executive Chairman Dr Ryan Story said.

“Brodie gives us proven championship-winning pace and pedigree, and Rylan represents our commitment to developing the next generation.

"This combination positions us perfectly for both immediate competitiveness and long-term success. We're not in the business of coming second – we're building a lineup that can win in 2026 and in the years to come.”

Gray is the third confirmed driver to graduate from Super2 in 2026, following Jackson Walls (SCT Motorsport/Triple Eight) and Jobe Stewart (Erebus Motorsport).

Kostecki and Davison will resume their 2025 campaigns at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 on November 14-16.