FORD’S maiden first-across-the-line race winner in the Gen3 Supercars era has arrived at Mount Panorama.
It’s part of an unscheduled chassis reshuffle made by Dick Johnson Racing ahead of next month’s Repco Bathurst 1000.
While it was a triumphant AirTouch 500 at The Bend for the #38 Shell V-Power Racing Mustang of Brodie Kostecki/Todd Hazelwood, it was a miserable run to 21st for Will Davison/Tony D’Alberto.
The #17 was not helped by a wheel coming loose during qualifying and D’Alberto picking up a pair of in-race penalties.
The team cited leaving no stone unturned in now returning Davison to chassis DJRS-06, in which he’d started this season before hopping aboard DJRS-08 which, like Kostecki’s chassis, originated from Erebus Motorsport.
DJRS-06 had only just lobbed at the National Motor Racing Museum in Bathurst when it was recalled for race prep.
The car’s voyage back to Stapylton was completed yesterday, with DJRS-04 loaded up in its place for the return trip to Bathurst where it has reached today.
DJRS-04 was raced by Anton De Pasquale through the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
It was in that car that De Pasquale was victorious in Race 2 of the 2023 Townsville 500 – marking the Blue Oval’s second Gen3 win, but first without post-race intervention (Cam Waters was belatedly awarded the season-opening win in Newcastle).
The car later that year finished third in the Bathurst 1000 via De Pasquale and D’Alberto; it remains responsible for Ford’s only Great Race podium under the Gen3 ruleset.
It is now dressed in 2025-spec DJR colours.
DJRS-04 appeared at a Gold Coast 500 media call on Monday. Pic: Supplied/Mark Horsburgh