NZ young gun holds off reigning Supercars champion for first career win in race one at Perth Supercars

Broc Feeney has earned a superb win, New Zealand young gun Ryan Wood has his first Supercars victory, and star Chaz Mostert fired back at the online critics who reckon he’s too old. Check out the full Supercars wrap from Perth inside.

Ryan Wood during qualifying for the Perth Super 440. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

Broc Feeney retained his narrow lead in this season’s Supercars championship after a stunning win in the second leg of the Perth Super 440 on Saturday.

New Zealand whiz kid Ryan Wood won the first race to claim his maiden victory in Supercars and was in a strong position to take out the second race when disaster struck and the left-rear suspension on his Ford Mustang broke.

With no warning, Wood slid off the Wanneroo Raceway track at high speed and into the sand, completely ruining his chances of back-to-back wins.

“Something broke. I’m not too sure, just can’t believe it to be honest,” Wood told Fox Sports. “Our race car was unbelievable, that’s all I care about, we should have won that race.”

With Wood out of contention, Feeney, who started third on the grid, gambled on an early pit stop and succeeded in getting an undercut to overtake Cam Waters for the lead.

Broc Feeney celebrates his win. Picture: Getty Images

Once he was in front, Feeney was able to control the race and maintain track position to secure his fourth win in 14 races this season and the 16th of his career.

Feeney’s Triple Eight teammate, and defending Supercars series champion Will Brown, finished second in both races. He is also currently second in the drivers’ standings, 27 behind Feeney.

“I thought it might be pretty hard to win that one,” Feeney said.

“I was sort of letting those guys do their thing, and when they were starting to get racy I thought that we could come back into it.

“It was so hard to pass, and then Woody ran off.

“Pit stops were great, strategy was awesome. I was pretty disappointed earlier not to finish on the podium, but it certainly makes me smile that one.

“I felt like for five laps just screaming ‘pit, make me pit, I’m sure I can undercut him’, but it worked out great.”

Broc Feeney earned his fourth win of the season. Picture: Getty Images

Brown said he had no regrets at losing out to his team mate during their tyre swaps and was satisfied with two second places after coming under pressure from Chaz Mostert at the end of both races.

“He got out of the pits in front of us. It was a good little battle at the start but I knew we had a very similar car but with him having the lead and a bit fresher tyres he was going to be fast,” Brown said.

“After that, it was just managing it to Chaz. I knew I wasn’t going to get Broc and I could see Chaz’ headlights coming and I thought ‘yep, just drive it straight.

“I’m really happy to start eighth and get back on the podiums so it was a good day.”

Mostert also made the podium twice, finishing third in both races after starting the first on pole then the second from midfield.

“I qualified 11th, so I’m obviously kicking myself now back to qualifying. I wish I started a bit more towards the pointy end,” Mostert said.

“I was trying my hardest but by the end of the stint you’re just out of tyre. I had a fast car and I’m glad to get a podium.”

The final leg of the Perth round takes place on Sunday with a 200km race.

WOOD BREAKS THROUGH FOR MAIDEN

New Zealand young gun Ryan Wood held off reigning series champion Will Brown to claim his first career win in Supercars after a heartstopping finish to the opening race of the Perth Super 440 on Saturday.

Regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the sport, the 21-year-old Kiwi held his nerve and the all important track position to capture his first race victory just two months after his maiden podium finish and hours after bagging his first pole position for Saturday’s second race.

Starting from second on the grid, alongside his Walkinshaw Andretti United team mate Chaz Mostert, Wood took the lead on lap 11 before dropping back through the field when he pitted on lap 22, replacing his two left-side tyres, gambling that the right-side tyres would last the full 50 laps.

He regained the lead once everyone else made their mandatory stop, but had to hang on grimly at the end as Brown began to rapidly close in on Wood’s Ford Mustang nearing the end of the 120km race at Wanneroo Raceway.

Chaz Mostert just pipped his teammate Ryan Wood for pole in race one at the Perth Super 440. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

With better grip in his Chevrolet Camaro after swapping all four tyres, Brown was able to cut the gap to Wood to six-tenths of a second but wasn’t able to get past as the young Kiwi held on to take the chequered flag.

“It’s pretty emotional to be honest,” Wood told Fox Sports.

“My parents have sacrificed a lot for me to get here and to achieve my lifelong dream, it just doesn’t feel real.

“I’m so stoked for my whole team and just kudos to all our partners, the engineering group for coaching me through that race. I just can’t believe it.

“When I came out of the pits me and Broc (Feeney) got into a battle, and then a couple of lapped cars, and then obviously Will was super fast at the end.

“I had to really look after it. I felt like I drove a good race and it just hasn’t sunk in yet.”

Ryan Wood to the lead!

He passes his teammate into Turn 1.#RepcoSC#Supercarspic.twitter.com/amPlFcBAYe

— Supercars (@supercars) June 7, 2025

Mostert, who also changed all four tyres during his pit stop, finished third to join his young team mate on the podium.

“I had to work for it but first of all, congrats to Ryan on his first win,” Mostert said.

“I still remember mine from many, many moons ago and it stays with you.

“He drove a fantastic race. For anyone watching, it’s not easy to hold on with two tyres because you have to manage it so well but that just shows the maturity of the guy and he’s a real superstar of the future.”

Championship leader Feeney finished fourth after being second in the latter stages of the race but struggling on two old tyres. Feeney retained his lead in the drivers’ championship but his advantage over Brown was reduced from 33 points to 21.

“The team did an awesome pit stop with those four tyres,” Brown said.

“I was hoping to get to the back of Woody but I just ran out of tyres at the end. Woody did a great job though. I could see him managing it and keeping it smooth so congratulations to him. I’m really happy with second.”

The Chaz fight back begins!

What a pass 👏#RepcoSC#Supercarspic.twitter.com/BAgOl5rSCd

— Supercars (@supercars) June 7, 2025

‘Thanks to the trolls’: Mostert defies criticism by snatching pole

Chaz Mostert fired back at the online critics who reckon he’s too old to cut it in Supercars by claiming his first pole position in over a year at the Perth Super 440 on Saturday.

The 33-year-old Mostert turned back the clock and unleashed a sizzling lap in his Ford Mustang to jump to the top of the timesheets after the first split qualifying session.

Crossing the line in 53.685 seconds, Mostert secured pole position for first of the three races at Wanneroo Raceway this weekend, and Race 14 for the 2025 season.

Monster’s pole was the 26th of his Supercars career and his first since he started at the front of the grid at Perth in May 2024.

Mostert’s Walkinshaw Andretti United team mate Ryan Wood locked out the front row with the second best time, with Brodie Kostecki third and championship leader Broc Feeney fourth.

Chaz Mostert claimed pole position for race one in Perth. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

“It’s always nervous coming 12 months from a good result,” Mostert told Fox Sports.

“I’m glad I had a really fast teammate, tuned me up on a bit of driving, and just sent it in and came out on the other side.

“The simple work is that there’s a few internet trolls out there that basically say, ‘you’re done; since you have a kid and wife you lose two tenths’.

“So I’m glad to show you can find two tenths by having kids and wife, so thanks to the trolls out there, appreciate you.”

Wood rebounds in qualifying for second race

New Zealand’s Ryan Wood rebounded from the frustration of narrowly missing out on his first pole position by the blink of an eye by getting the job done second time around on a hectic day of Supercars racing in Western Australia.

One of the brightest prospects in the sport, the 21-year-old Wood was pipped for pole by his Walkinshaw Andretti United teammate Chaz Mostert for the first of Saturday’s two races at Perth’s Wanneroo Raceway.

The young gun still managed to seal a front row spot with the second quickest time despite only doing one flying lap, but he got the benefit from being patient because he saved an extra set of soft tyres for the second qualifying session.

Ryan Wood testing the limits during qualifying. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

If there was any lingering disappointment from missing pole, he certainly didn’t show when he returned to the circuit an hour later and went one better, storming to his first career pole even though he didn’t initially think he’d lit up the track.

“It was one of the worst laps I’ve done this weekend. I couldn’t get out of the bowl, I was pretty worried,” he told Fox Sports.

“I knew we’d played it quite smart in that first session and we were a little bit nervous but confident.

“And managed to execute. So I’m pretty stoked. We’ll try and start the race well and build from there. We’ve got two good starting positions today.”

Cameron Waters will join Wood on the front of the grid after setting the second best time, while championship leader Broc Feeney was third and Matt Payne fourth.

Originally published as NZ young gun holds off reigning Supercars champion for first career win in race one at Perth Supercars