HE claims the field for this year's Bathurst 1000 is the strongest he's faced in his career, but Will Davison still rates himself a good chance of standing on the podium come Sunday afternoon.
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This year will mark Davison's 16th appearance in the Great Race and he will do so in the Tickford-backed 23Red Racing Ford Mustang which has helped him to currently sit ninth in the championship.
But he rates that as a "disappointing ninth" and feels he could be sitting even further up in the drivers' championship standings.
"We've thrown away, probably in four or five races we've been in podium positions and we've had issues, a few incidents, mechanical issues and dramas. We've scored zero points, hence being disappointed with being ninth in the points," he said.
"But that's encouraging though because first things first, you want to be fast and competitive.
"My average qualifying is the fourth highest of anyone I think in the field, so that's really encouraging and there's been a couple of podiums in the last few events ... we've been there and thereabouts and that is certainly motivating heading into the big one."
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The big one, the Bathurst 1000, has a host of teams being talked about as genuine podium contenders. It is something Davison, who has his brother Alex as his co-driver, freely admits.
But he also feels as if he is one of those genuine contenders.
"I'd say the field's stronger than any other year, there's genuinely 10 cars that should and could stand on that podium - if not more. But I'd like to think we've definitely got ourselves in that form guide in that top five group," he said.
"I'm not cocky enough to say any more than that, but if we've got a good opportunity and execute well over the four days and drive out of our skins and not make any mistakes on Sunday, then anything is possible."
Prior to the opening practice session on Thursday, joint favouritism for the Bathurst 1000 belonged to Scott McLaughlin-Alex Premat and Jamie Whincup-Craig Lowndes.
The Davison brothers were rated a 13-1 shot, but Will knows just as that favourites can win, those at slightly longer odds can spring upsets. He has proved both when winning the Great Race in 2009 and again 2016.
"Of course you want to go to Bathurst with a genuine shot. I've had a bit of everything over the years, I've won it with the Holden Racing Team from pole," he said. "I was on the front row in 2012, took off into the distance, had an incredible car but then had all the elements go against us on that day.
"Obviously in 2016 when I won it with TEKNO, I knew we had a strong car, we weren't the favourites but I'd been a race winner already that year, we'd been on the podium at the Sandown 500, I was top five in the championship.
"We weren't the favourites, but we were a top five contender and if you can be a top five contender, go to Bathurst and make no mistakes, anything is possible. The last two years I haven't gone there in that position, but now I do go there in a similar position."