Meet the Co-Drivers: Dale Wood, DJR 12

While he didn’t have the best results at the Dunlop Series round at the Coates Hire Ipswich 360, Dale Wood still leads the second-tier Championship.

However as Endurance Cup co-driver to Chaz Mostert – who broke through for his first V8 Supercars win and Dick Johnson Racing’s first since Jonathon Webb at Homebush, Sydney, in 2010 – there were good signs for the 30-year old.

“I’m extremely happy to see how Chaz is going at the moment,” Wood said.

“He’s an up-and-coming guy and it’s no secret he’s a superstar of the future.

“He’s stepped in part-way into the season, getting in the top 10 and clawing his way back into the Championship.

“I’m excited to be part of that and the DJR fit as well. They’ve got a great, strong fanbase.”

Wood said he had an absolute ball working with Mostert.

“There’s not a minute we’re not having a laugh, taking the piss, hacking phones – our relationship is good and we’ve clicked really well.

“(The test day) was a good opportunity to get to know all the DJR guys more and instead of calling everyone mate, call them by their actual names.”

Leading DJR’s other signed co-driver Ashley Walsh in Dunlop Series by 128 points, Wood said it was nice to be able to chat with Walsh and hoped their relationship would remain intact, despite the on-track battles that will no doubt ensue.

“There’s every chance we’ll have run-ins on track, but off-track we get along well, chat – we have the same wants, that’s no secret. Off-track we’re mates and friendly, and on-track we race our hardest.”

Having started racing on two wheels competing in Motocross and Supercross – during which Wood had some success, but suffered from injuries and issues – he thought in his mid-teens getting into four wheels would be the right way to go and started karting.

“I took the usual steps – karting, Formula Ford and am in the Development Series now and having a crack at getting into the main series.”

Wood felt the recent test day with DJR had been more beneficial than the co-driver sessions, as the sessions are short and co-drivers had to be mindful not to damage or mark the car so the lead driver could get on with his Championship battle.

He has had enough laps in the Wilson Security-backed DJR Ford Falcon to feel comfortable.

“At the moment I’m finding – I expected the cars to be vastly different and thought it would be something to get my head around, but I’m not finding that.

“The two cars are really similar.

“The biggest issue is getting around the size difference between myself and Chaz. He’s a big guy, I’m smaller – that was the biggest thing, but now the seat’s right I can generally jump in and out of the two cars and not do anything majorly different. It’s just a bonus getting more laps on tracks – I wouldn’t do laps around Queensland Raceway a week and a half out of the round, so I was lucky to get in the car.”

When Wood isn’t racing in the Dunlop Series, he runs a signwriting business.

“I’ve got a few guys there and we have a ball doing vehicles!” he said.

However, with seven Dunlop Series rounds and three endurance events – DVS only appears as a support category at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, so there are two additional events for Wood – the last part of the season is essentially full-time driving.

And at home, congratulations have been in order after the birth of his son Jackson around one month ago.

“I’m loving it – it’s a feeling I’ve never felt before. Sometimes I’m a bit sleep deprived but I’m not unhappy about it, I get up and see his face and have a hug, with a big smile on my face. It’s really good.

“It’s now a little family with our dog Greg – who’s our second baby – and a big part of our life as well. I’ve got a pretty good home life and am going well at the track."