OUTGOING Dick Johnson Racing chief David Noble has paid tribute to Will Davison’s contribution to Supercars ahead of his 600th championship race start.
The penultimate round of the season is also the second-last of Davison’s tenure at DJR, following confirmation that he is parting with the team at the end of the season – despite a year being left on his contract.
“I just want to recognise and pay homage to Will and his contribution and thank him on behalf of our organisation for what he’s brought,” Noble said.
“He’s in esteemed company, hitting 600 races this weekend.
“The mark of a champion, for me, is the ability to perform at a high level consistently and over a long period of time, and he ticks all of those boxes.
“I’ve extremely enjoyed working with him over the last three years, the quality of the athlete that he is, preparing and presenting himself in the fashion that he does.
“He gets in the car every single session, wanting to improve (whether it’s by) a hundredth or a tenth. That’s just a credit to himself and the condition that he’s in.”
Davison’s most recent Supercars race win came at Pukekohe in 2022, a weekend he came one bad pitstop away from claiming the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy. Pic: Supplied
Davison’s place will be taken by Super2 points leader Rylan Gray, whose appointment was announced hours after Davison’s departure was made public and is trackside with the team at Sandown.
Prior to the reshuffle, it was widely expected that the 2026 season would be Davison’s last as a full-time driver before moving into a co-driver role with the team.
That role was still on the table for Davison amid DJR’s move to recruit Gray for next year.
“That was always in the conversation,” Noble explained. “That was always in the plan.
“For whatever reason that doesn’t work out, we go our separate ways but we thank him enormously for what he’s done.
“Now we look at what that pairing looks like for next year.”
V8 Sleuth understands that Tony D’Alberto is most likely to secure the co-driver role alongside Gray at next year’s enduros.
Noble also believes that the circumstances surrounding what is likely the end of Davison’s full-time Supercars career shouldn’t overshadow his achievements and contribution to the sport as a whole.
“There aren’t many fairytales in sport. Ash Barty’s one; Joe Daniher and Oscar McInerney are a couple that have won a flag (AFL grand final) and then gone out in their own manner,” Noble said.
“But that moment shouldn’t discount his career and what he’s done and how we should applaud his career – not just what he’s done for us but from the competition.
“And I want to thank him personally and on behalf of DJR for what he’s brought to the sport.”
