Chaz Mostert is closing in on a maiden Supercars championship, regardless of ending second to Brodie Kostecki beneath a red-flagged opening race on the Adelaide grand remaining.
Friday’s dash ended earlier than the 32-lap mark due to heavy rain, however Walkinshaw Andretti United star Mostert flaunted sufficient high quality to chop his deficit to championship chief Broc Feeney to 13 factors.
Dick Johnson Racing star Kostecki prevailed for his third win of the season after pole-sitter Feeney misplaced high spot on lap three.
The 23-year-old had locked up the tyres of his Triple Eight automotive and ran too broad at flip 4 of the rain-soaked avenue circuit.
Mostert was momentarily in high spot however pulled his punches towards Kostecki, unwilling to danger his marketing campaign for a maiden title with two extra races slated for the weekend.
Ryan Wooden adopted teammate Mostert to complete third, whereas Feeney needed to accept fourth.
Will Brown was ninth in a blow to his title defence, whereas fellow grand finalist Kai Allen was fifth.
Kostecki nets a $50,000 prize for his victory on Friday, a comfort prize after being eradicated following the primary finals spherical on the Gold Coast.
It’s a speedy change in fortune for the 2023 champion, with Kostecki crashing out of qualifying after dropping management of his Ford Mustang due to oil on the observe.
Brad Jones Racing’s Andre Heimgartner got here to a grinding halt with an engine failure earlier on Friday, ensuing within the oil leakage.
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Brown’s race was derailed simply seconds into the 32-lap race after the Triple Eight driver was spun round on the opening lap by Thomas Randle.
Randle copped a 15-second penalty for the contact, earlier than struggling a race-ending crash on lap 20.
The Tickford driver had introduced out the yellow flag after slamming closely into the wall at flip eight, dislodging the concrete barrier.
Randle’s teammate Cam Waters was additionally slapped with a 15-second penalty for spinning Erebus rookie Cooper Murray into the wall.
Waters completed twelfth, with Murray in twenty fourth.
Championship standings
1. Broc Feeney (Triple Eight) 5,089pts2. Chaz Mostert (WAU) -13pts3. Will Brown (Triple Eight) -48pts4. Kai Allen (Grove) -53pts
AAP
