Porter and Brede are two drivers who have been able to drive a car around the mid-pack and capitalise on the misfortunes of higher-placed rivals. The second Team BOC Ford isn’t the best, nor the worst, but its is the ability of its drivers to be consistent that will get it a good result. Brede has only done endurance duties this year, whilst Porter is a frontrunner in the Fujitsu Series – the miles will come in handy.
Rating: 5.5
Dick Johnson Racing
#17 FirstRock Home Loans BA Falcon
Steven Johnson/Will Davison
The FirstRock Home Loans Falcon finished Sandown just off the podium in fourth, but the #17 Ford has usually been a top ten performer at Bathurst. Indeed since the days of Shell Helix Racing, Steven Johnson has been in a car that has run well in the big race. He continues to drive consistently – a necessity for Bathurst success – and with Will Davison, a former Minardi test driver and A1GP pilot joining him, the pair are definitely able to claim a win. Certainly the car has improved dramatically since the introduction of the BA Falcon in 2003. Steadily, it has generally improved from a top fifteen competitor to a car that can challenge for a podium finish. But Bathurst is a different kettle of fish, and with a high rate of attrition, the FirstRock car could find itself at the front of the pack come lap 161 on Sunday.
Rating: 7
#18 APVC Racing BA Falcon
Alex Davison/Grant Denyer
Alex Davison and Grant Denyer are one of the more popular cars entering the field for this year’s Bathurst 1000, as the latter is the popular host of ‘It Takes Two’ on Channel Seven and is also the weatherman for the early-morning ‘Sunrise’ program. He is a reasonable V8 Supercar driver too, the former V8 Ute winner joining former full-timer Alex Davison in the APVC Falcon. Davison finished inside the top ten at Bathurst in 2004, but after a doomed stint with Autobarn Racing last year, has honed his skills in the Carrera Cup. They finished in the top ten at Sandown, and that result could be easily duplicated this weekend.
Rating: 6
Glenfords Racing
#20 Glenfords/AEG BA Falcon
Marcus Marshall/Jonathon Webb
Ford’s sole single car team will make its main game Bathurst debut this weekend. Paul Crucikshank Racing’s Glenfords operation combines former Champ Car World Series driver Marcus Marshall and top Carrera Cup performer Jonathan Webb in the #20 Falcon. Driving the same car that finished third at Bathurst last year, it is still unlikely that they will run well this weekend, given the poor reliability and speed shown by the car throughout most of 2006.
Rating: 3
Fujitsu Racing
#25 Fujitsu BA Falcon
Warren Luff/Adam Macrow
![Jason Bright - Ford Performance Racing [pic: FPR]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/260662.jpg)
