MOTORSPORT: Davison bags a big one

Will Davison finally derailed the Shane train with a landmark Supercars sprint success at Wanneroo Park in Perth yesterday.

After being boxed around the helmet for more than two years, Davison did a number on Shane van Gisbergen in the second of three heats as he drove from pole position to a breakthrough win and a 1-2 result as Anton De Pasquale followed him home for Dick Johnson Racing.

Van Gisbergen still scored two wins from three starts on the western leg of the 2022 Repco Supercars Championship – including the 600th victory for Holden with his ZB Commodore – but Davison’s effort and the speed of De Pasquale, David Reynolds and Cam Waters showed the Ford Mustang runners are finally getting close to compete.

Even veteran James Courtney starred, taking a surprise second in the final leg after a gamble on an early tyre swap.

“I didn’t realise James was the leader. Sorry for stealing that win from him,” van Gisbergen joked on Sunday evening.

“Next time, just drive around behind me mate. It’s been a long time,” Courtney replied.

Only a fool would bet against SvG repeating as Supercars champion, as he has won eight of the 12 races so far this season.

He had never won in Perth before using his racecraft for a brilliant strategic victory under lights on Saturday, before a pacy run to the front in the final heat.

“I haven’t done any good here before, so I hope everyone enjoyed that,” said van Gisbergen.

There was no enjoyment for Cam Waters, who copped a five-second plenty that cost him a win in Race 2, or Scott Pye, who was punted heavily into a concrete wall.

Brodie Kostecki also punted his cousin Jake out of a solid result in the final race.

The championship picture is getting clearer, with De Pasquale and Davison now second and third in the series.

But Chaz Mostert, an earlier winner in a Commodore, had a dreadful run in Perth and has dropped to fifth, just ahead of Red Bull’s promising rookie, Broc Feeney, and David Reynolds in a Mustang from the surging Grove Racing squad that is spending big on new parts to develop for a serious challenge in the back end of the year.

The Repco Supercars Championship next moves to Winton in rural Victoria, on May 21-22.

Supercars Championship Wanneroo Park results:

Race 1 – 46 laps

Race 2 – 46 laps

Race 3 – 46 laps

Supercars Championship points:
1. van Gisbergen, 1087 points; 2. De Pasquale, 923; 3. Davison, 876; 4. Waters, 751; 5. Mostert, 746; 6. Feeney, 725; 7. David Reynolds, 709; 8 Brodie Kostecki, 709; 9. Tim Slade, 659; 10. James Courtney, 639.