Spectrum factory driver Shae Davies to make US racing debut
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, 26th April, 2012.
Borland Racing Developments driver Shae Davies will make his international racing debut later this year when he competes in three rounds of the F1600 Formula F Championship Series in the United States.
Davies, 22, currently sits fourth overall in the AFFC standings and scored his maiden national level race win at the last round in Tasmania earlier this month. Davies will head to the USA to drive a Spectrum-Honda for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing, the North American distributor of Spectrum Racing Cars, and will partner 17-year old Finnish driver Matias Köykkä who recently won the opening event of the season at Virginia International Raceway.
The scheduling of the F1600 Formula F calendar means that each US trip will be twinned on back-to-back weekends with rounds of the AFFC, kicking off on June 28-July 1 at New Jersey Motorsport Park in Thunderbolt, New Jersey one week before Davies competes in the fourth round of the AFFC at the Sucrogen Townsville 400.
The Gold Coast-based Davies will then head back to the USA to race at the famous Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 26-29, before returning to Australia to compete at Queensland Raceway on the first weekend in August.
Davies’ final F1600 Formula F event will take place on October 12-14 at the iconic Watkins Glen circuit in New York, former home of the United States Grand Prix and long-time NASCAR road course venue, just one week after competing at Australia’s most iconic circuit – Mount Panorama, Bathurst – for the penultimate AFFC round supporting the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.
The opportunity for him to further develop his career by racing in the USA is one Davies relishes.
“I can’t wait to get over to the US to take on the F1600 Formula F series.” said Davies. “There will be so much to learn and take away from the experience – new circuits, a new team, new car and a different motorsport culture. It will also be the first time I’ve raced a car on slick tyres, so it can only be a great developmental experience for my driving and career plans. At the same time, I want to be competitive and race at the front, so I will be logging plenty of laps of the US circuits in my Hyper Stimulator over the coming months.
“To race at Bathurst on one weekend in October and then Watkins Glen the next will be pretty special – there aren’t many drivers who get to race on two of the world’s best road courses in one week so I am definitely grateful for the opportunity Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing have given me, and of course the assistance that Borland Racing Developments have provided in making this happen.”
Davies is also second in the Spectrum Driver to USA Challenge, an incentive which will award the highest-placed Spectrum driver in this year’s AFFC with a US F2000 test drive for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing. Synergy Motorsport driver Mathew Hart currently leads the award by 47 points over Davies, Liam Sager and Sam Power.
F1600 Formula F Championship Series is a six-round championship for Honda and Ford-powered chassis of Formula Ford specification running Hoosier slick tyres.
The next round for F1600 Formula F takes place at Lime Rock Park, Connecticut on May 25-26.
DAVIES SOUNDS WARNING WITH MAIDEN WIN & PODIUM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, 4th April, 2012.
On the back of a cruel run of outs at Albert Park’s opening championship round a fortnight ago, Shae Davies bounced back in true style at Symmons Plains in Tasmania last weekend. Recording his first career win and claiming second overall after three absolutely enthralling races, the Main Beach driver showed he will be a genuine championship contender during the remaining six rounds of this year’s title fight.
Friday practice confirmed the pace of his new Spectrum 014 with Shae topping the times after two competitive sessions. In early qualifying he was the pace-setter by some margin, before slipping to second late in the session despite being on a lap that would have challenged pole-sitter Garry Jacobson. Traffic at Turn 6 the problem.
Race one saw Shae embroiled in a great three-way dice with Jacobson and fellow Spectrum driver Matt Hart. After making a fast getaway to take the lead when the lights went out, Shae and Jacobson battled in earnest, exchanging the lead on virtually every lap, before Shae was pushed wide entering Turn 6 and fell back to third. Despite charging back onto Hart’s heels he had to contend with position three at the flag, but deserved better.
Race two saw more of the same with Hart also spending some time in the lead. After looking certain to take his first win, Shae made a small mistake at Turn 2 late in the race and lost valuable track position, dropping to third in the process. Furious at missing out on the win, he vowed to make amends in the final and did just that – leading 14 of the 15 laps to narrowly hold out Hart for his first Formula Ford race win.
“What a rollercoaster. This is just what we need after the horror AGP weekend and our Spectrum was an absolute jet all weekend. It’s the first time I’ve genuinely mixed it at the front and there really is a lot going on up there. I was pretty miffed at Garry (Jacobson) for pushing me wide in the first race – especially so early in the weekend, but over the season things will sort themselves out. We led more than 50-percent of the race laps so I feel we more than deserved the victory, even though I did make it hard for myself when I damaged third gear late in the final race.
“The boys at Borland Racing have worked their butts off and this one is for them … roll on Phillip Island, where I just know we will be quick.”
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R2 |
R3 |
Overall |
Points |
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Started |
2 |
3 |
3 |
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2 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
48 |
4 |
NEXT RACE: Rd 3 AUSTRALIAN FORMULA FORD CHAMPIONSHIP – Phillip Island, VIC: May 18-20
FRESH OUT OF LUCK AT THE GRAND PRIX
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, 21st March, 2012.
There really wasn’t much more that could have gone wrong for Shae Davies at the opening round of this year’s Australian Formula Ford Championship (AFFC) at Albert Park. The Main Beach driver could not take a trick last weekend and could do no more than look on as his championship challengers went about getting their year off to a great start, while he failed to score a solitary point through no fault of his own.
Fresh from a strong pre-season testing program the Grand Prix weekend had started so well, with Shae completing practice in third place at the wheel of his brand new Spectrum 014. He backed that up in qualifying and finished the session third, just 0.08s away from claiming his first pole position, before disaster struck on the out lap for race one. The Spectrum sheared it’s lay shaft on the way to the grid and in an instant Shae was a non-starter while he also faced a rear of grid getaway in the second event.
Undeterred, he charged through the field to be sitting in seventh place and closing in on sixth when a Safety Car was deployed to remove a stricken car from Turn 8. At the re-start Shae was hit from behind when former team mate Liam Sager misjudged the re-start speed, sending both cars out of the race on the spot.
In the final Shae was flying and had worked his way up through the 18-car field to be in sixth place at the halfway mark, before yet another assault from behind saw him eliminated at Turn 3 – this time the culprit was Team BRM driver Tom Goess, who out-braked himself and smacked into the back of the hapless Spectrum pilot.
A thoroughly devastated Shae could not believe the run of outs that had afflicted his championship opener but vowed to be right up with the leaders for the second round at Symmons Plains next week.
“What a disaster, and I really had no control over what came our way. I couldn’t believe it when I lost drive on the way to the start of the first race but felt confident we had the car pace to recover. What transpired next was just about beyond belief and it was like we were under some sort of a curse. Even considering the failure to start the first race I should have left Albert Park with a small haul of points, but that was out of my hands when I was twice nailed from behind. It’s just devastating for all of the team and we now have to go all out for race wins if we’re going to figure in this championship chase, and that’s exactly what I will be doing starting next week. It’s not over, not by a long shot and I’ll be giving it my all from the minute we hit the track.”
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R2 |
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3 |
18 |
15 |
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Finished |
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3 |
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DNF |
DNF |
18 |
0 |
18 |
NEXT RACE: Rd 2 AUSTRALIAN FORMULA FORD CHAMPIONSHIP – Symmons Plains, TAS: March 30-April 1
SHAE’S STUNNING SYMMONS SECOND
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday 16th November, 2011.
Just when it looked like things couldn’t get any worse during the early weekend running, Shae Davies bounced right back into the Formula Ford fray with a sensational career-best finish of second place in the final event of the year. Saturday at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains circuit was a frustrating affair for the Main Beach 21-year-old, who was coming off an excellent overall fourth place from the previous Formula Ford round on the streets of the Gold Coast.
Practice saw Shae acclimatising well to the unique little 2.4k Symmons circuit, which despite having one of the slowest corners in the entire championship – the Turn 4 hairpin – also possesses some very quick sections, making it one of the fastest overall lap speeds on the eight round championship trail.
Qualifying saw Shae full of confidence and despite being very quick early he slipped from fourth place to seventh at the end of the session, ruing a lap that should have put him in third grid spot.
“Daniel (Erickson) and I were working together and slip-streaming each other around, but on my best lap I had a narrow entry to the most important corner on the lap and lost 0.4s on the run to the line. That lap would have seen us inside the top four, so seventh felt slightly disappointing, but I was confident we had good race speed in our Spectrum.
Race 1 saw Shae make an excellent start and gaining one place, before making another pass at the end of the back straight to move into fifth, but before he could start thinking about finding a way past the next batch of cars he was left stranded and bogged in the muddy outfield – after making error at Turn 6 while challenging for fourth.
“Not good and so bloody frustrating. The cars in front were tripping over themselves and I felt sure I could get by them before their tyres came up to temperature, but I over-cooked it going into six and made a small error that turned itself into a huge one. Just not what I was looking for and a real shame because we’re genuinely quick.”
Shae’s words were to prove profound, and in Sunday mornings’ second race he drove brilliantly to make pass after pass and come home in fifth place, having started at the rear of the field. Better still was to follow in the final event of the year where Shae saved his best for last, driving the race of his life to fill second spot at the chequered flag, claiming the fastest lap in the process.
“That’s more like it. I knew we were fast enough to race with the front-runners and I’ve never felt so satisfied with a Formula Ford race. The car was quick and I was patient, but aggressive at the same time, and the result is a reward for not just me, but the whole Borland Racing Developments team, who have been great since we joined them mid-year. What a shame we’re done for the year, but bring on 2012.”
Click below for PDF Press Release for Full Results:
Shae Davies Racing Release – Rd 8 AFFC
For more information please contact Shae Davies on: 0400 015 056 or Chris Jewell on: 0417 458 416
CAREER-BEST ON HOME SOIL AT THE GOLD COAST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday 26th October, 2011.
Shae Davies couldn’t have wished for a better result at the most recent round of the Australian Formula Ford Championship, registering a career-best result after a stellar run throughout. Unlike many of his competitors, Shae never as much as scratched his machine throughout a competitive and consistent weekend, the Main Beach based youngster enjoying a stellar run while battling right amongst the lead pack.
The Gold Coast street circuit is a car breaker, with the ever present concrete walls ready to punish any errant driving and Davies was delighted with his practice and qualifying form, but felt a late session improvement was possible. Race 1 of three saw Shae make a great start before latching onto the leading group then battling with the current championship leaders all the way to the flag. His fifth place finish was a career high but there was more good news to come.
Race two was Shae’s best drive in his short Formula Ford career and the 21-year-old held sway in third place for the majority of the distance, before a small mistake late race saw him drop back to fourth at the chequered flag. Sunday dawned with great expectation and Shae went all out for a podium spot in the final. Battling with the lead bunch throughout, things looked good early, before a late race incident saw him caught up with another competitor, allowing two cars past.
Sixth at the finish line felt like a comparative disappointment when compared with what he had already achieved, but nothing could hide Shae’s delight at scoring his best ever result.
“I said after Phillip Island that we would be right amongst it here and I was right. The car was awesome all weekend and I just love the GC street circuit. The Borland boys gave me the car to do the job and while scoring my first ever podium was within reach we fell just short in the end. Mum, Dad and some family friends were up in the corporate suite and I could see them jumping about enjoying the result too – what a great weekend all round and a great place to have my best ever points haul.
“Equal fourth overall is a fantastic result in my first full year and I know I can run with these guys now, and I can’t wait for the final even in Tassie in a few weeks time … I’ll be after another career-best effort down on the Apple Isle.”
As a result of Shae’s excellent weekend, he now leads the coveted Formula Ford Rookie of The Year Award with one round remaining.
Click below for PDF Press Release for Full Results:
Shae Davies Racing Release – Rd 7 AFFC
NEXT EVENT: Final – Rd 8 Australian Formula Ford Championship – Symmons Plains, TAS (11-13 November, 2011)
For more information please contact Shae Davies on: 0400 015 056 or Chris Jewell on: 0417 458 416
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