WILL Davison has hit out at Dick Johnson Racing’s critics after delivering the team’s first podium of the season.
It had been a tumultuous start to the year for the flagship Ford squad, with a bumpy pre-season setting the tone for an unusual lack of competitiveness at Round 1 in Newcastle.
Since then there have been errors and parity sagas, but throughout Davison has shone, consistently leading the DJR charge.
Yesterday, that translated into silverware in the Darwin Triple Crown opener.
While not quite having the pace to run with winner Mark Winterbottom or Broc Feeney, Davison was able to stave off the likes of Brodie Kostecki and Bryce Fullwood to place third.
“(It’s) a well-earned trophy for the team,” said Davison.
“We’ve had a big few years so you don’t want to get carried away with thirds but things have changed this year.
“We know it has been a tough little period and it’s been a bit of a drought so I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t ecstatic to give that little gift to the team for all the hard work.
“We cop a lot of criticism as a big team, a lot of unfair criticism, but I’m just very proud of the team because the morale, the effort that’s continued to go in when our backs are against the wall when everyone is slamming you and putting you down is really inspiring.
“We’re digging in, we’re pushing really hard.
“It wasn’t easy out there, I still had my challenges, but it’s just great to get a trophy to give that motivation to everyone to keep pushing and we’ll get back on that top step.”
It’s not the first time Davison has called out critics this season.
“I’m pretty thick-skinned, I have done this for a long time so I have been up and down a few times… you have just got to roll with it,” he added.
“It’s just unfair on the team really, we’re all trying our hardest. It’s very, very interesting, this Gen3.
“It’s pretty highly talked about and publicised this year that it’s been a bit dry on the Ford side of things so obviously I was genuinely a bit gutted to see (Cam Waters’ Mustang on fire), because you want to give back to Ford, they’re putting a lot in and it’s been tough so that wasn’t good to see.
“But just happy for our side of things, we’ve made some good improvements this weekend.”
Davison also voiced his delight for former teammate Winterbottom, who scored his first main game race win in almost seven years.
“Frosty is a great of the sport, we were teammates for many years sitting up in these pressers pretty much every weekend but then you go on droughts and I have been through exactly the same thing,” said Davison.
“It’s hard, you don’t know if you’re ever going to feel that again because it’s certainly not getting easier to win at this level, particularly if you move to a smaller operation, it’s pretty motivating to get a win with a team like that.
“I’m genuinely happy for him.”
Davison is now seventh in the drivers’ championship.
