The Gold Coast Bulletin

Davison loses drive

Blow for Ford star as Supercars line up for new-look series

- LAINE CLARK

GOLD Coast is without a Supercars race in 2020 and two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Will Davison is without a full-time drive after the demise of team 23Red.

In a chaotic few days, the GC600 was pulled from the program for 12 months due to the costs associated with laying out the street circuit.

And the leading Ford team pulled out of the championsh­ip ahead of the Supercars season’s resumption in June after losing a major backer amid the coronaviru­s shutdown.

Veteran driver Davison, 37, is looking at his options but has already been linked to an enduro co-driver gig with Tickford Racing this year, replacing US-based Alex Premat.

“It’s been a pretty tough thing to take. It’s pretty hard to get my head around with the announceme­nt that we’re going racing again and that I won’t be on the grid,” Davison said in a social media post.

“I can guarantee you I’ll be giving everything I’ve got to get myself back on the grid, hopefully in the not-toodistant future. I still feel like I’ve got a lot to offer.”

Davison’s pain may be a gain for one-time championsh­ip winner James Courtney, 39.

Courtney has been without a drive since making the shock decision to quit new Holden outfit Team Sydney after the season-opening round in Adelaide in February.

A Courtney entry looks set to replace 23Red which raced from Tickford Racing’s garage featuring four cars.

Adding momentum to a Courtney comeback, Tickford Racing said it was still committed to providing “four entries when the 2020 season resumes”.

“We are working diligently on the options available to accomplish this goal, and are optimistic we will be able to provide an update in the near future,” the team said in a statement.

Supercars confirmed yesterday the revised season will restart at Sydney Motorsport Park on June 27-28 and conclude at Bathurst in February.

The Gold Coast and Newcastle rounds – both on street circuits – have been scrapped in the new-look series which will run over 13 rounds, and initially without fans.

Supercars has not held a complete race meet since the opening Adelaide 500 in February after the coronaviru­s pandemic shut down the season following qualifying at the Melbourne 400 at Albert Park in mid-March.

The Melbourne round will not be reschedule­d.

The Bathurst 1000 is the only event to have kept its date and four-day format on the calendar, taking place at Mount Panorama from October 8-11.

The series will return to Mount Panorama for the second time for the final round for a sprint event that will coincide with the Bathurst 12 Hour enduro from February 5-7, fulfilling a commitment to the NSW Government to hold the final round in the state.

“We will continuall­y assess the possibilit­y of admitting fans to events based on the direction of government restrictio­ns, including how we might be able to accommodat­e camping and park and ride,” Supercars CEO Sean Seamer said.

THE GC600 is on ice and Will Davison’s Supercars career up in the air but another Gold Coaster could yet land a driving lifeline.

Ex-Supercars champion James Courtney could be the big winner amid the ongoing Supercars upheaval, following the decision of Davison’s Ford outfit 23Red Racing to withdraw from the championsh­ip.

Gold Coast-based two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Davison has sensationa­lly been left without a full-time drive after 23Red’s demise.

The leading Ford team pulled out of the category ahead of the Supercars season’s resumption in June after losing a major backer amid the coronaviru­s shutdown.

But Davison’s pain may be a gain for Courtney (pictured), the 2010 Supercars series winner who has been linked to a return to the category since 23Red’s departure.

 ?? Picture: TIM HUNTER ?? IT’S THE PITS: Will Davison has been left looking for a drive after the withdrawal of the 23Red car from the Supercars championsh­ip.
Picture: TIM HUNTER IT’S THE PITS: Will Davison has been left looking for a drive after the withdrawal of the 23Red car from the Supercars championsh­ip.
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