By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE Davison name is one of the most famous in Australian motorsport, and it’s synonymous with the Sandown racetrack.
This weekend, with the return of the Sandown 500, V8 Supercar pilots Will and Alex Davison are out to claim top spot on the podium – 48 years after their grandfather, Lex, died in a crash at the circuit.
The track will always hold special significance for the Davisons. Lex won the Australian Grand Prix four times, his wife Diana also raced, and their sons Jon and Richard followed in their footsteps.
Alex, Richard’s 33-year-old eldest son, knew he wanted to be a racing car driver as far back as 1991 when he watched his Dad step out of a Formula Holden open-wheeler at the end of a gruelling day at Sandown.
He’s now established in Australia’s premier motorsport class with the Jeld-wen Ford Performance Racing team but he still can’t remember what it was about that day 22 years ago that switched on that racing light-bulb.
“We’ve always had this connection there – my uncle Jon also ran the track,” Alex said.
“My first memory of Sandown was actually watching dad race in 1984 but I don’t remember any of the cars going around – I just remember his car catching fire and him getting back to the garage all hot and sweaty!”
Alex’s younger brother Will, 31, is a former runner-up in the V8 Supercar series and is one of the favourites for the title again this year.
“I never had the chance to meet my grandfather, but I always feel a connection when we race at Sandown,” he said.
“Every time we go there I get a sense of enormous pride and emotion.”
Unbelievably, the family’s involvement with the track goes a step further – Australia’s first Formula One driver, Tony Gaze, married Diana after Lex’s death.
But from Will and Alex’s perspective, the focus will be solely on the racing this weekend – with championships on the line.
“It’s a very important round and you can feel that in the atmosphere,” Alex said.
“And it’s a rare thing – having a racetrack in suburbia.
“It’s got a street circuit feel but it’s a really old-school track without much run-off anywhere.
“The extra bravery you need there really pays off – particularly under brakes.”
Sandown is the first of three endurance rounds of the V8 calendar this year that make up the Pirtek Enduro Cup – awarded to the most successful long-distance driving combination.
It’s really all-or-nothing this weekend – one race, 500 kilometres, 300 championship points on offer.
To put that into perspective – Will is only 55 points behind championship leader Jamie Whincup.
“(And) If you’re not in overall championship contention, this is a lot like a mini-championship,” Alex said.
“It’s great – it really adds to the excitement. It’s close all the way through the field. Making up ground is definitely possible but you can lose it too.”
The make-or-break round couldn’t happen at a more action-packed circuit, with the Dandenong Road section set to see plenty of high-speed thrills and spills.
“It’s a really dicey braking zone there but it’s so rewarding when you get it right,” Alex said.
“Sandown is right up there in that next rung after Bathurst,” he said when ranking Australian tracks.
“Having said that, I enjoy any track where my car is running well!”
Alex will pair up with Kiwi co-driver John McIntyre for this season’s endurance rounds, while Will shares his Ford FG Falcon with Steve Owen.
The Sandown 500 begins on Friday with the first practice session at 11.30am. The race will go green on Sunday just after 1.30pm.
