Dick Johnson Racing boss Ryan Story has opened up on the incredibly difficult call to choose Will Davison over Anton De Pasquale when the team signed Brodie Kostecki in 2025. De Pasquale was with DJR in Supercars for four years between 2021 and 2024, before moving to Team 18 in 2025.
De Pasquale left DJR when the team recruited Kostecki from Erebus Motorsport. Story and the DJR team were forced to decide whether Davison or De Pasquale would reman as Kostecki’s teammate, and they eventually chose the former despite him being older and in the twilight of his career.
Anton De Pasquale (far right) was cut by Dick Johnson Racing when they recruited Brodie Kostecki (L). Image: Getty
Speaking on the ‘Lucky Dogs’ podcast this week (which Kostecki co-hosts), Story labelled it a “brutally hard” decision. The DJR co-owner and executive chairman admitted he “never got on personally very well” with De Pasquale, but isn’t exactly sure why.
“It was a hard decision for a number of reasons,” Story said. “I just told you before how close a bond I have with (majority owner) Brett Ralph and the only reason why I know Brett Ralph is because of Anton.
“But Anton and I never got on personally very well, and he’d tell you that too. Just for whatever reason, we didn’t quite click. I don’t know why, I think that just happens in life. But the decision itself was difficult.”
DJR opted to keep Will Davison and part ways with Anton de Pasquale.
(Getty Images)
Story said the team was confident that either of Davison or De Pasquale would be a great teammate for Kostecki, but were looking for “more consistency”. Davison only lasted one more year before he as replaced by Rylan Gray for the 2026 season.
“It was the same with the decision to bring Rylan Gray in this year for Will,” Story said. “Will is someone who is like family in a lot of ways.”
Ryan Story watches on during the Bathurst 1000 in 2024.
(Morgan Hancock via Getty Images)Anton De Pesquale holding his own with Team 18
Story admitted he doesn’t speak to De Pasquale, but said the driver is still on good terms with Ralph. De Pasquale is still sponsored by Ralph’s company Jet Couriers, and wears their signage on his helmet, even though he’s now with Team 18. “He doesn’t talk to me, but he talks to them,” Story said with a laugh.
Kostecki leads the drivers’ championship after two rounds, after winning three of the four races in Melbourne. De Pasquale’s victory for General Motors in Sydney was the only race out of seven so far this year not won by a Ford.
Story said he’s happy to see De Pasquale’s career flourish since departing DJR. The Chevrolet driver finished eighth in the standings in 2025, and is fifth after two rounds in 2026 behind Kostecki, Cam Waters, Broc Feeney and Matt Payne. He finished 11th in 2024 and eighth in 2023.