V8 Supercars: Shell V-Power Racing's Will Davison gunning for ‘redemption' at Perth Super 440
Raising a glass in victory at Sunday's family dinner would be the perfect way to cap a weekend of 'redemption' at the Perth Super 440, according to Shell V-Power Racing's Will Davison.
But the two-time Bathurst champion, who partners hometown Supercars winner Brodie Kostecki, knows it's going to take a near-flawless union with his new car to get the job done in a field that's as close as ever.
Perth is practically a second home for Davison, with his partner and her family hailing from the state.
And the 42-year-old is not impartial to Carco.com.au Raceway either, having earned some of his best victories outside of the storied Mount Panorama at the circuit.
Wanneroo is the perfect place for Davison and the team to wash away the bitter taste of last month's Tasmania 440 with a few bottles of victory champagne.
'We come here looking for some redemption and a big weekend,' he told The West Australian during a visit to the Osborne Park office.
'It's a second home race for me, let's say. I love (Perth). I've had a lot of success here, so really, there's no better place for us to come after a pretty difficult event in Tasmania a few weeks ago.
'(The family) brings a bit of light-hearted element to it. I love having family here, and it's a great opportunity to see them.
'Of course, I love being able to have a good result in front of the family, but it certainly doesn't add any extra pressure but I'd certainly rather celebrate Sunday night at the big dinner rather than drown my sorrows, that's for sure.'
While Davison said he'd lean on his positive experiences in Perth, he added they meant little heading into this weekend's rapid-fire races.
'I'm certainly proud of a lot of the wins I've had here and the podiums over the years, but it hasn't been for a couple of years, so certainly not relying on that,' he said.
'You come here upbeat with plenty of good memories and plenty of good things to reflect on but not relying on that in any way, shape or form.
'It's a really fast-moving sport, and 12 months is a very long time, so it doesn't really count for too much, to be honest. There are obviously trends you look for, and you know what it takes to be successful here.
'You channel every positive experience you have in this industry, but every race is a clean sheet of paper.
'This sport is a pressure cooker every single moment you're in the car. That's what we love about it.'
Davison returned to Dick Johnson Racing in 2021, having previously branched out from the team in 2008.
He found immediate success in 2021 and 2022, finishing fourth and fifth in the driver's championship, respectively, in those years.
However, the last two years have fallen below the veteran's lofty expectations, with Davison finishing in 10th and ninth.
The results led to a shake-up at Shell V-Power Racing, and the history-laden team landed reigning Bathurst 100 champion Kostecki from Erebus, with the Perth-born star breathing fresh air into the team.
'We're a very proud team with an amazing history, and I've ridden a lot of the waves with the team over the years,' Davison said.
'We have a very high expectation of us, and although we've shown glimpses over the last couple of years, we had a lot of success in 2021 and 2022, but since the Gen 3 era, it's probably been a little bit lean and quite frustrating.
'So there's been a big change. It's an exciting team; it's been a real upheaval, with very different morale and very different energy around the place.
'The expectation Brodie is putting on the team, what he's asking from the team, and the knowledge he's bringing to the team are immense.
'It's really exciting to see all these new ideas and hear the way they've been successful the last few years, which has been really good for us.
'As the year goes on, we're only going to see more and more success with our car.'
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