“It’s definitely a great start to the season for us; the team has worked extremely hard during the off season and we’re starting to get the results we deserve. The car was feeling great and I was able to make some ground on Mark Skaife and Rick Kelly during the day which was extremely encouraging. Our cars have certainly got some speed and there is still room for development; within the next few rounds I feel confident that we can challenge the leaders and have a real go at the championship, ” Steve Johnson said.
Will Davison drove the number 18 Jim Beam Falcon brilliantly during the day to a 5th place for the round and is confident that a podium finish is not far away for the Queensland based Ford team.
“The cars are certainly running strongly and it’s a good foundation for the Championship. We have the pace to run with the Top 5 cars and we will be working even harder to achieve a podium finish within the next few races. My tyres were starting to go off in the last race but I was consistently running equivalent times to the cars in front, and was able to fend off challenges from several other competitors. Overall it was a great weekend for the team and I can’t wait to get to New Zealand for the next round of the series”.
Team owner Dick Johnson was overjoyed at the performance of his team, saying it was fantastic to be back challenging the leaders at the front of the field.
“I can tell you that I haven’t felt this good in a very long time, ” a happy Johnson said.
“The team and drivers are very focused on what they need to achieve this year and they are all doing a fantastic job. It’s great to be back at the front of the field and to finish second for the round behind the Toll team is a great achievement after our results during the past few years. The whole team is looking forward to a great year ahead and we are certainly on our way back to the winner’s circle. There has never been any doubt about the talent of Steve and Will, and now our cars are getting on the pace, both drivers will be able to show the field what they are made of. ”
Both Jim Beam Racing drivers continue their championship challenge at the third round in New Zealand next month. At the completion of Round 2, Steve Johnson is the top Ford driver currently in 5th place and Will Davison is elevated into the Top 10 in 9th place.
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