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

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

After a horror run of outs at Sandown during the previous Australian Formula Ford round – last weekend, Shae Davies bounced back with a genuinely competitive showing at Phillip Island’s sixth event of the eight round national title chase.

Quick from the outset after recording the fifth fastest practice lap on Friday, Shae was left disappointed that he couldn’t repeat the performance in qualifying, ruing a Red Flag that stopped the session on his fastest flying lap when the tyres were at their best.

Starting from 10th on the grid in the 20-car field, Shae enjoyed some spirited opening race dicing to come home in ninth, before improving one further spot in the second race of the three making up the sixth round. The glorious seaside circuit saved the best weather for last and Shae was determined to move through the order in Sunday’s final event, which he did in style during the early stages. A flying start and two excellent passing manoeuvres saw him as high as fifth and running with the lead pack, before he lost rear-end grip and fell back into the clutches of the slipstreaming open wheel pack.

A late race Safety Car provided him with the chance to cool his tyres and at the re-start Shae clung to the lead battle pack, before he felt the engine starting to lose power. This, combined with a distinct lack of drive out of the vital second-last corner, saw Shae unable to launch a pass on the long Phillip Island start-finish straight. Despite a lack of comparative performance to those around him, Shae ran nose to tail with the leading train of cars before coming home hot on the heels of the eight-car train at the end of the race.

“I was quick enough to be further up the field and I really feel that a top six result was there for the taking, but I just couldn’t get close enough to those ahead at the exact point where it mattered most. Early in the final I was confident of pushing for a top-three result, but once we lost straight line speed I was a sitting duck for those behind me, and try as I might, one by one they just drafted by me down the straight. There was nothing I could do to respond. Even with the aid of the slip-stream they were giving me I just couldn’t get enough momentum to make a pass.

“We enjoyed an excellent weekend and I’m now even more confident heading into my home race at Surfers Paradise in late October. The car is straight, it hasn’t got a mark on it and we are finding more and more speed with each outing. The Gold Coast round is my personal Grand Prix and the Borland Racing boys and I will be doing everything we can to make it a successful one.”

Click below for PDF Press Release for Full Results:

Shae Davies Racing Release – Rd 6 AFFC

NEXT EVENT: V8 Supercar Championship Meeting, Gold Coast 600, Surfers Paradise Street Circuit, QLD (21-23 October, 2011)

For more information please contact Shae Davies on: 0400 015 056 or Chris Jewell on: 0417 458 416

Things could hardly have turned out worse for Shae Davies at Sandown’s fifth round of the Australian Formula Ford Championship last weekend. Fresh from a successful test at Phillip Island last week, the Main Beach youngster was full of enthusiasm for the weekend, but a combination of mixed weather and a fair share of bad luck conspired against him, leaving a soggy and freezing cold Sandown circuit disappointed and frustrated.

Things started out quite well despite two rain affected practice sessions on Friday that saw Shae running a set-up not quite conducive to the low level of grip on offer, but qualifying was going along very well until a late-session crash - while on his best lap – saw the Davbridge/ BRD Spectrum sustaining heavy damage while sitting fifth fastest. Two drivers improved their times prior to the session being Red-Flagged, which saw Shae slipping down the order to seventh, however – he would miss the first race due to the shortness of time between the session and race one.

The team repaired the bent and battered machine and Shae was confident of a strong showing in Sunday’s pair of races. Unfortunately, his plans to move through the field in race two were compromised by a Safety Car (SC) start and the repeated deployment of the SC for further incidents. That, together with a car that was not particularly confidence inspiring, saw Shae struggle down in the order.

The final race saw Shae make a brilliant start to arrive at the first corner in eighth place, before having to take avoiding action when Rhett Noonan speared across his bows. After yet another Safety Car period, Shae again made a good restart but was again forced wide at the 90-degree left-hand first turn, dropping back more positions. He then became embroiled in a four-way battle with fellow Spectrum drivers Daniel Erickson, Daniel Ramerman and Caleb Rayner, but intra-team contact at Turn 3 saw Shae off the road and at the tail of the field, with bent suspension slowing progress.

“I just couldn’t take a trick and the 26 hours from my qualifying crash to the last lap of the final race just didn’t go my way. The crash was a sizeable one, and I went off at high-speed … probably 175-km/h, so it could have been worse. I was really comfortable and going well in qualifying and I’d just towed past Rhett (Noonan) up the back straight, but we arrived at Turn 6 still almost side by side and I ended up on the wetter, outside line. I thought I could run down through the grass, as I had earlier, but it just snapped out of control on the kerb and I was a passenger after that.

“The boys worked their butts off to get it fixed and even my team mates were chipping in so I really wanted to repay them for their efforts with a good result on Sunday. Race 2 was a disaster with cars spearing off under the Safety Car and there was zero grip or visibility, while the final race was looking pretty positive on the run to the first corner before it all turned to crap through no fault of my own. It was the single most frustrating weekend and I wasn’t sad to get out of there. Phillip Island is just days away and I think we can genuinely challenge for a top-six result there.”

Click below for PDF Press Release for Full Results:

Shae Davies Racing Release – Rd 5 AFFC

NEXT EVENT: V8 Supercar Championship Meeting, L&H 500, Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, VIC (16-18 September, 2011)

For more information please contact Shae Davies on: 0400 015 056 or Chris Jewell on: 0417 458 416

Shae Davies will swap teams from Round 4 of the Australian Formula Ford Championship after recently making the decision to switch from Synergy Motorsport to the Borland Racing Developments squad.

21-year-old Davies will complete the remainder of the season with the factory Spectrum operation, where will continue to drive the car he has used thus far into the 8-round championship chase.

Davies tested his car at Winton Motor Raceway last Friday, was delighted to be competitive from the outset and is looking forward to moving his new-look machine up into the top order when he next hits the circuit.

“An opportunity to join the factory Spectrum team existed after a shuffle of seats had taken place within their team and I felt the chance to change teams was too good to pass up.  I have to thank Mick Borland and my former team boss Justin Cotter, because the two of them have made this situation a reality and I’m now really looking forward to the remainder of the year.

“I enjoyed testing last Friday at Winton and working with Mike and his team was excellent.  I had Tim Macrow doing my engineering, data and set-up work and it was great to draw on his collective knowledge and experience.  We were competitive with the CAMS Rising Star boys and they’re been going great guns of late so hopefully I can repeat that from next time out.

“We have another test planned following the next round at Queensland Raceway and I’ll be doing everything I can to move up through the pack and throw out the challenge to the front-runners.  There’s a heap of racing left in the season and I’m aiming to claw my way up into a top-six finish by season’s end.”

Click below for PDF Press Release:

Shae’s Spectrum Swap

NEXT EVENT: V8 Supercar Championship Meeting, Queensland Raceway, QLD (19-21 August, 2011)

For more information please contact Shae Davies on: 0400 015 056 or Chris Jewell on: 0417 458 416

After a slow start to an important weekend of racing, Main Beach youngster Shae Davies came away from Eastern Creek’s third Australian Formula Ford Championship round with a hard-earned top-10 finish and more valuable championship points. Davies showed good racing speed after a rain-interrupted qualifying session saw him well down the order, but improved with each outing to latch onto the front-runners in the final two races.

After a workmanlike performance Shae left the NSW circuit somewhat happier than he had been earlier in the weekend.

“It was tough, real tough. We were very quick here in pre-season testing, but for some reason we just don’t seem to be able to unlock that same speed. Qualifying on a damp – but drying – track didn’t help because it was greasy, not wet and that was the first time I’d experienced those conditions. It’s fair to say I was not a happy chap when I saw where I qualified.”

Starting 18th in the first race, Shae made a great start to pass two cars on the opening lap, before putting his head down and chasing the pack ahead. After more passes and benefitting from driving a clean and consistent race, he came home in 12th place at the chequered flag, showing his qualifying spot was not a true reflection of his pace.

The second race was Shae’s best. Having made a blindingly fast start he raced hard well inside the top ten, before a late race Safety Car closed the pack up. With just one lap remaining, Shae was caught up in a wild mid-pack battle, hanging on to 10th – despite contact and running wide halfway around the final tour. The third and final race was a repeat of race two but the rear tyres started to overheat late in the race and Shae was unable to challenge for a higher finish.

“I raced as well as I could. Early in races two and three I felt I had better car speed than those around me but the tyres started to get too hot and the rear of the car was as loose as a goose. In the early laps I was right with the battle from second to eighth and quicker in some parts of the circuit than those ahead, but once the tyres started to go off I just couldn’t get the power down at the important parts of the circuit.

“It wasn’t the weekend I had hoped for, but I have to keep reminding myself that this is my first full Formula Ford season and the guys ahead of me have more experience than me. The car is straight, I did every lap I could all weekend, and know I will be all the better for the experience.”

RESULTS: Rd 3 – 2011 Australian Formula Ford Championship – Eastern Creek Raceway, NSW (15-17 July, 2011)

Please See attached Press Release PDF for full Results:

Eastern Creek Press Release – Rd 3 Australian Formula Ford Championship

NEXT EVENT: V8 Supercar Championship Meeting, Queensland Raceway, QLD (19-21 August, 2011)

For more information please contact Shae Davies on: 0400 015 056 or Chris Jewell on: 0417 458 416

The North Eastern corner of rural Victoria can throw up all sorts of mixed conditions at this time of year, and last weekend was no different, as Main Beach (QLD) driver Shae Davies set about getting his Formula Ford Championship year underway after a miserable run of outs at the opening round in March.

Fresh from a pair of tests at the sinuous, 12-turn, three kilometre circuit, Shae took renewed confidence into the weekend despite not having previously raced at the slow to medium speed venue, located just North of Benalla off the Hume Freeway. Practice saw Shae quickly up to speed, and on overall times from the two completed sessions was placed fifth, while confident of having a competitive qualifying session. That was before the ‘crack’ Sonic Motorsport team showed their true form by locking away the top four grid spots for the first of three races.

“We didn’t see that coming,” said Shae. “They were similarly paced to our three Synergy Motorsport cars in testing and practice, but they seem to have hit a genuine sweet-spot with their qualifying set-up. My car was pretty strong after some overnight gearing changes and I felt sure we could run with them in the races.”

Shae was right, and when the lights went out for the first 10-lap encounter the field were all running nose to tail – although his car, which had been fitted with new brake discs, took a few laps to really come on strong … but come on strong it did, as the 21-year-old battled to move up through the field. Despite having a quick car, and setting similar lap times to those running at the pointy end of the field, Shae had to be content with finishing where he had started, but was pleased to have shown good speed and secure his first points of the year.

The second race was a similar affair and after making a lightning getaway when the lights went out at the start, Shae rocketed up to sixth place, only to be squeezed off line in the opening corners, which forced him back to seventh. A mid-race incident with his two team mates, Liam Sager and Matthew Hart, also hurt his progress and despite being the innocent victim in the intra-team shenanigans, Shae held on to score yet more points and his second top ten finish in successive races.

The final race was wet when Shae fumbled a down change early in the race, having made it up to fifth in the early laps, dropping back down the order, but he felt encouraged by his collective weekend.

“I’m happy to have a straight car, 10 points in the bag and show some real speed, which was good enough to be in the top four. I’ve only ever driven in the wet once before and made a small mistake which cost me dearly, but it’s fair to say I won’t make it again. We’ve got our program right back on track and I can’t wait for the next round at Eastern Creek … I just wish it was next week, not the middle of July.

RESULTS: Rd 2 – 2011 Australian Formula Ford Championship – Winton Motor Raceway, VIC (20-22 May, 2011)

Please See attached Press Release PDF for full Results:

Winton Press Release – Rd 2 Australian Formula Ford Championship

NEXT RACE: 2011 Shannon’s National Championship Meeting, Eastern Creek, NSW (15-17 July, 2011)

For more information please contact Shae Davies on: 0400 015 056 or Chris Jewell on: 0417 458 416

Synergy Motorsport boss Justin Cotter has said that there’s no pressure on his drivers to win ahead of the second round of the 2011 Australian Formula Ford Championship at Winton this weekend.

After a tough start at the season opener in Adelaide a few months ago, Cotter said that he was happy with the progress of his team after some intensive testing sessions but is not placing any unrealistic expectations on his young rookies.

“We have two 16 year olds in Liam (Sager) and Mat (Hart), and Shae Davies in their first full time shot at the National Championship, so I’m hardly going to expect them to be able to consistently beat the likes of Nick Foster and Cameron Waters who already have a season or two under their belts,” Cotter said.

“That’s not to say we won’t be competitive because we will be – my point is I think the Championship this year is all Sonic’s to lose and that the pressure really is on them,” Cotter added.

Since the Clipsal event in Adelaide, Synergy Motorsport have conducted several test days at the Winton circuit in an effort to find the speed for their maiden win this year, as well as familiarise their drivers with the track that plays host to this weekend’s races.

“The season opener at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide was certainly not what we had hoped for heading into the event,” Shae Davies said.

“The Davbridge Constructions Spectrum showed good pre-season pace in testing and we were confident that we’d be able to fight up the front – and this was realised when we qualified third, however my weekend went pear-shaped from there.

We have sat down and gone over everything that happened that weekend and coupled with the testing we have recently done at Winton, both myself and the team are very confident that the story will be drastically different his weekend,” Davies said.

Mat Hart in the Seears Workwear Spectrum was also hopeful of a better showing this weekend.

“Winton will be one of the toughest rounds for 2011 because most of the front runners already know the circuit pretty well because they test there but based on our recent testing, I’m confident we’ll be somewhere in the top five, if not better – we’ll just have to wait and see,” Hart said.

In other news from Synergy Motorsport, Victorian State Championship contender Sam Power enjoyed a consistent run last weekend at Sandown to snatch the lead of the State Championship and CAMS Series.

In deplorable conditions, Power kept a cool head as those around him lost theirs to finish the round in second place.

“It would have been nice to get more laps under green flags than red,” Power said.

“It was ridiculous the number of people who were obviously driving beyond their limits and I was lucky not to be taken out on more than one occasion.

“In all though it was a good weekend – we held our own for some solid results and with the demise of (Matthew) Brabham and (Josh) Hunter, my Championship title hopes are looking much better,” Power concluded.

Round two of the Australian Formula Ford Championship takes place this weekend, with the first practice session at 10.40am on Friday.

For further information, please contact:

Dave Harding

Media Manager

SYNERGY Motorsport
www.synergymotorsport.com.au

m: +61 433 672 287
e: dave@mediafuel.com.au
w: www.mediafuel.com.au