Will Davison is intent on keeping the screws on Championship heavyweights TeamVodafone after his Ford Performance Racing team again charged out of the blocks.
Davison in his Trading Post Ford was one of three FPR cars in the top four at the Tasmanian Challenge today, only topped by the SP Tools Falcon of flying Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen.
For much of the final practice session Reynolds (Bottle-O), Davison and Winterbottom (Orrcon Steel) were a constant top three before Van Gisbergen bolted on new tyres at the end of the day.
Reigning V8 Supercar Champion Jamie Whincup was 13th and his team-mate Craig Lowndes seventh with a final practice session in the morning before qualifying. Frenchman Alexandre Premat was fifth and first of the Holdens as he continues to impress in just his third event in a V8 Supercar.
Davison is leading the Championship after the first event in Adelaide. The most significant fact about that is all three FPR cars have been early season dominators.
“I had a fair bit of confidence straight up because we did quite well here just four of five months ago. All our cars are fast. The key tomorrow is who can pull the one lap out tomorrow to start up the front,” Davison said.
“Nothing huge has changed from last year. When you have a team where everybody gets along, works hard and shares the same goal you are going to do well. There is a real sense of calm in the team and it’s good to be a part of.
“I am never going to underestimate those (TeamVodafone) guys, they always bring their A game so we have to do the same. But we have proved that when we do the best job we can beat anyone. It’s a hard fought Championship and you never get ahead of yourself.”
Fastest finisher Van Gisbergen is also in form, as is the whole SBR team.
“It’s a good start to the weekend but its only Friday and all the FPR cars are right up there. We have got a little bit to do yet,” Van Gisbergen said.
Premat was the surprise packet again after a solid debut in the first Adelaide event. He was a left-field pickup by Fujitsu GRM team owner Garry Rogers as a former Audi Sports DTM driver who has had great success in GP2, second only to Formula One, and the now defunct A1GP.
“I am much better with the soft compound tyre,” Premat said of his first Championship start on the grippier soft tyre that is much more like European racing. “With the hard tyre I am missing the grip I am used to. It’s getting better each session and tomorrow I will try to be more consistent in the top ten. I am quite confident I can do it.”
Reynolds earlier topped both Practice 1 and 2, his third-quickest time of the session rounding out a solid day for the former Carrera Cup and Formula Ford champion.
The rest of the top 10 was made up of Todd Kelly, Craig Lowndes, Tim Slade, Lee Holdsworth and Tony D’Alberto.
Therefore, all three FPR-run Falcons (as well as the FPR-assisted Tony D’Alberto Racing entry) and all three Stone Brothers Racing-run Falcons were in the top 10, leaving seven Falcons and three Commodores in the top 10.
The V8 Supercars will return to Symmons Plains tomorrow with practice at 10.10am, qualifying at 1.25pm and Race 3 of the V8 Supercars Championship at 4.00pm.
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