Supercars 2024: Will Brown cements top spot with first endurance crown

Championship leader Will Brown has cemented his spot at the top of the Supercars standings, claiming his first enduro crown, after surviving an epic sprint for the finish line at the Sandown 500.

Supercars championship leader Will Brown has claimed his first endurance crown, teaming with co-driver Scott Pye to lead home a Triple Eight one-two in the Sandown 500 to bolster his series advantage after surviving a tense sprint to the finish.

As they continued the team’s phenomenal record at Sandown, Brown converted from pole position in the opening endurance round to edge out teammates and last year’s winners Broc Feeney and Jamie Whincup to give Triple Eight consecutive victories in the 500 km race.

The Triple Eight pairings survived the intervention of six yellow flags, a period of chaos at the start of the co-driver stint and a late-race sprint to finish line give the team the first major prize of the season and a shot in the arm ahead of the biggest race of the year - the Bathurst 1000.

And there was a hairy moment when the two Triple Eight cars came together at the exit of turn one after the final round of scheduled pit stops, which their team boss later Whincup admitted was “on the limit” for what the team permitted between its racers.

The race finished seven laps short of its 161-lap distance with the Sandown rules dictating a time-certain finish at 5.43pm plus one lap.

In the biggest result of his career, James Golding teamed with David Russell to finish third to give PremiAir Racing its first podium in Supercars.

It was an epic finish to the race at Sandown. Picture: Getty Images

Triple Eight has now won the past four Sandown 500s and eight of the past 11 endurance races at the historic Melbourne track.

The win boosted Brown’s position at the top of the Supercars driver standings, extending his lead over second-placed Chaz Mostert, who finished seventh, from 81 points to 189.

Feeney remains third in the standings, but is now just 33 points behind Mostert.

Brown’s Sandown win delivered his fourth victory of the year and his first since Taupo in New Zealand in April.

The 26-year-old, who celebrated standing on the roof of his car with Pye, said no other victory had meant more to him than his one at Sandown.

Will Brown claimed his maiden enduro win. Picture: Getty Images

“It’s been exciting getting a few wins this year and last year, but nothing has meant more than that win just then,” Brown said.

“That was really exciting. Obviously, the first round of the endurance, but also the Sandown 500 … we’re not sure how long this event will stick around for, so I really wanted to try and win it this year and that was a cool race.

“We got a really good start, but we were too-ing and fro-ing with car 88, they were in front of us and we were in front of them.

“Even the last few laps there, we were doing nearly qualifying pace and you had to not make a mistake while going as fast as you could.”

Triple Eight’s strong day did not end with its two podiums as the team’s wildcard of Cooper Murray and Craig Lowndes finished fifth.

Grove Racing’s Matt Payne and Garth Tander were fourth.

Chaz Mostert finished in seventh. Picture: Getty Images

Pye said it had been a nervous wait in the garage watching the closing stages of the race as the two Bulls raced to the finish after the late safety car.

“I asked this morning what happens if we are one, two at the end of the race and they said they can race,” Pye said.

“I knew Will had it, but Broc is so fast and he was right on him, so I was pacing. I think I was annoying everyone in the garage.

“But so stoked, so happy for him, he deserves it. He worked last year to put himself in the best team in pit lane and to be able to contribute today, I’m very proud.”

The two Triple Eight cars swapped the lead at various stages throughout the race, but it was Brown who had to hold off his teammate after the final safety car restart.

Feeney claimed his first endurance win alongside Whincup at Sandown last year and was disappointed he fell short of back-to-back wins, but vowed to go one better at Bathurst.

“Congrats to them, obviously a great result for the team and I hear Cooper got fifth, so unreal for Triple Eight,” Feeney said.

“I obviously wanted to win that one, it was pretty close, we were going back and forth throughout the day, this man beside me (Whincup) did a great job as per usual.

“Stoked to get second, obviously would have loved to be standing on the top step of the podium, but kudos to the 87 crew.

“We’ll try and go one better at Bathurst.”

Will Brown will started from pole in Sandown.

Whincup admitted he had felt torn between his roles as Triple Eight team boss and his role as Feeney’s co-driver late in the race.

“It was a tricky situation. I’ve got an 88 cap on, but probably on top of that I’ve got my team cap on and it was really important for us to come one-two,” Whicup said.

“It’s quite an iconic day for us. We’ve got 20-year history, but that photo that we took down at the podium, one-two, and to come fifth in a wildcard entry, that is going to be one of a couple of dozen iconic photos that we are going to remember our history by.

“We created some history, which is fantastic.

“All three drove extremely well. The touch (between Brown and Feeney) down at turn one was a little bit on the limit for me, we’ll definitely chat about that.

“There are four massive events to finish the year off, this is one of four, so we will keep our heads down for the next one.”

Attention will now turn towards the biggest race of the year - the iconic Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama next month.

There will be another 300 points up for grabs for the winner at Bathurst.

James Golding secured a breakthrough podium finish. Picture: Getty Images

Golding revels in breakthrough podium

James Golding claimed he had the biggest smile in the Supercars paddock after scoring a breakthrough podium for himself and his PremiAir Racing team at the Sandown 500.

In the best result of his Supercars career, Golding and co-driver finished third behind the Triple Eight pairs of Will Brown and Scott Pye and Broc Feeney and Jamie Whincup.

Golding, who claimed his maiden pole position at the Darwin Triple Crown this year, had previously only finished as high as fourth.

The 28-year-old said his Sandown 500 result was a huge one for himself and the team, but he said had bigger goals ahead.

“It’s just an awesome feeling,” said Golding, who is sixth in the Supercars championship.

“It’s something as a driver that you build towards your whole career and I’ve obviously still got a couple more steps I want to get soon, but this is another huge step and (I’m) getting closer.

“It just means so much to me and all my family, all my backers, the whole team and all the hard work that they’ve done to get me to this point, so it’s absolutely phenomenal.”

James Golding has bigger goals ahead. Picture: Getty Images

Golding said PremiAir had spent the whole weekend focusing on a race car at the expense of qualifying - and the strategy had paid off.

“We made a lot of the right decisions this whole weekend, we rolled out and had our ultimate focus on race pace, there was not any point where we did any qualifying runs,” said Golding, who had started 14th .

“We didn’t quite get the qualifying that we wanted, but we knew that we had a pretty strong race car and that’s what we were focused on the whole time.

“At a few of the re-starts I had a bit of a sniff at the Red Bulls, but not quite, we’ll save that for Bathurst.”

Russell, who was second at Bathurst with Brodie Kostecki last year, said he was pumped for Golding and his new team.

“To join a new team that has never had a podium before and to join Jimmy, who has done such a great job was pretty rewarding for me,” Russell said.

“I did say to the team leading into this if we ticked all the boxes that we would be on the podium and I’m glad that we did that today and that hard work is paying off for the team.”

Will Brown had a simple strategy for the shootout.

‘Trying not to screw up’: Simple strategy in Brown’s shootout win

Championship leader Will Brown is targeting a return to the top step of the podium for the first time since April to strengthen his series advantage after securing pole position for Sunday’s Sandown 500.

After his Triple Eight teammate and defending Sandown 500 champion Broc Feeney took provisional pole in a wet and wild qualifying session earlier in the day, Brown emerged as the pacesetter in drier conditions in the top-10 shootout to claim his second pole of the season.

Brown claimed pole for the second year running at Sandown with his 1:10.254 lap mid-way through the shootout, which the rest of the top-10 contenders were unable to beat.

The series leader, who is teaming with Scott Pye for the endurance races, claimed pole ahead of Tickford Racing’s Cam Waters and Dick Johnson Racing’s Anton De Pasquale.

Will Brown will start from pole for tomorrow’s Sandown 500.

Defending Supercars champion Brodie Kostecki and Feeney, who won at Sandown last year alongside seven-time Supercars champion Jamie Whincup, rounded out the top five.

Brown said his focus in the shootout had been to simply “not screw it up” and he is now aiming for his first win since Taupo in New Zealand back in April.

“I knew it would just be who didn’t stuff up out there, so I was trying not to screw it up,” Brown said after the shootout.

“I just put a clean lap together and stoked to get the Boost Mobile award. I am ecstatic, it’s been a bit of a tough round the last couple, we have got podiums, but I really wanted to get another pole position and try and win this weekend.

“It’s a great start and I’m absolutely stoked with it.”

Walkinshaw Andreti United’s Chaz Mostert, Grove Racing’s Richie Stanaway, Brad Jones Racing’s Andre Heimgartner, Grove’s Matt Payne and WAU rookie Ryan Wood complete the top 10 for the opening endurance race of the year.

Will Brown will start from pole for the Sandown 500.

While conditions cleared for the top-10 shootout after a challenging qualifying session in the wet earlier, patches of water still lying on some parts of the track caused havoc.

Wood was one who was caught out, having his shootout lap ruined after running off the track when he drove through a wet section.

Brown said the track conditions had still been testing in parts of the circuit.

“It was tough between one and two, there was a lot of water on the road and even this last sector down here, there was a lot of water to finish your lap,” Brown said.

“Every time I went in there, I just thought ‘Don’t stuff it up here, don’t stuff it up’ and just maximise where it wasn’t wet.

“I knew Chaz would be hard to beat, he always does a fantastic job in these shootouts and also Broc. I was just watching the delta and then I was like, ‘I think we’ve got it’.

“It’s a really cool feeling, hopefully we can come away with it tomorrow.”

The endurance rounds at Sandown and Bathurst have the potential to have a big impact on the championship battle with 300 points up for grabs for the winner in each race.

Brown holds an 81-point lead over Mostert in the championship standings.

FEENEY FASTEST IN QUALIFYING

Triple Eight young gun Broc Feeney has given his bid for back-to-back Sandown 500 crowns a shot in the arm after emerging on top on top in challenging conditions to claim provisional pole on Saturday for Supercars’ opening endurance race.

In a wild qualifying session which kicked off just minutes after hail hit the circuit and was red flagged mid-way through after a rookie Aaron Love crashed his Mustang, Feeney pipped Ford rival Chaz Mostert to set the fastest time and secure the last run in the top-10 shootout.

Grove Racing’s Matt Payne, Walkinshaw Andretti United rookie and fellow New Zealander Ryan Wood and Tickford Racing’s Cam Waters rounded out the top five.

Broc Feeney has claimed provisional pole at Sandown. Picture: Getty Images

Championship leader Will Brown, defending Supercars champion Brodie Kostecki, Grove Racing’s Richie Stanaway, Brad Jones Racing’s Andre Heimgartner and Dick Johnson Racing’s Anton De Pasquale also booked their tickets to Saturday afternoon’s top-10 shootout.

Feeney, who won at Sandown alongside seven-time Supercars champion and his team boss Jamie Whincup last year, was tested by the “super hard” conditions early in the session when he ran off the track.

But the 21-year-old tamed the track late in the session to edge out Mostert and will now be targeting pole position for Sunday’s 500 km race.

“It’s pretty hard work to be honest and obviously with the red flag you are questioning what you are going to do,” Feeney said.

“I’m pumped, I think we have been pretty quick in the wet this weekend, so to be provisional pole, to me it’s just in the shootout.

Not everything went to plan for championship leader Will Brown. Picture: Getty Images

“Certainly nothing is locked in yet, but a top-10 start for tomorrow is good.

“I’ve been running off so much today (in the wet), I’m surprised I didn’t get a black flag or something like that. I nearly got stuck at the start.

“It’s super hard out there, I just prayed that I would get through turn one and after that I knew I’d be just as quick as anyone else.

“Hard work out there, but (I’m) pumped the car was fast. We thought it was going to be dry and then it hailed literally a minute before we went out. So (it’s a) high-pressure situation but great to be in the shootout.”

The qualifying session was red-flagged after seven minutes when Blanchard Racing Team rookie Love ran wide at turn six and was sent spinning off the track, hitting the armco before coming to a rest in the gravel.

On board vision showed a shattered Love with his head buried in his hands inside his car.

The qualifying session was stopped for 12 minutes while Love’s car was retrieved.

Nick Percat, James Courtney, Mark Winterbottom, James Golding and Will Davison were among the drivers to fall short of a spot in the shootout.

Drivers back future at Sandown

Supercars drivers have backed the retention of Sandown Raceway on the calendar and a return to the celebration of its past amid ongoing speculation about the historic track’s future.

As the Sandown circuit celebrates the 60th anniversary of endurance racing at this weekend’s 500 km race, Triple Eight co-driver Scott Pye said he hoped Supercars would continue to race at the circuit as “long as we can drive cars here”.

Supercars remains in discussions over its calendar for 2025 and whether or not it will feature 12 or 13 events.

Chairman Barclay Nettlefold has made no secret of his desire to expand from the current 12-event calendar with Queensland Raceway expected to make its return for the first time since 2019 next year.

If the Supercars calendar does remain at 12 events and QR returns, Sandown could be the event to make way, but Nettlefold remains optimistic a 13th event will go ahead.

Pye, who will team with championship leader Will Brown for the endurance races, said the historic circuit was one of his favourite tracks, delivering an adrenaline rush for drivers.

“You do the track walk and you look at how much the circuit’s deteriorate but it’s one of the things that adds character here,” Pye said.

“It is a high-risk track and that’s what drivers feel the most reward out of, you do a qualy-lap around here and it is rewarding, you get a bit of the adrenaline rush.

“‘I’m not sure what the future holds, I’d love to see it stick around for as long as we can drive cars here, but ultimately it’s not up to us.

“I do really enjoy this place. I wish this weekend was a retro round, our cars now would really suit the old liveries and it just adds a bit as well, it’s another talking point for the category, the teams get involved, it means a lot to them.”

Brown also backed the retro celebration at Sandown and hoped it could be revived.

“It added such an element to this event. I think Sandown is missing that, it would have been awesome to have that this year,” Brown said.

“I would love to see that come back. Even if Sandown is off the calendar, I would love to see it come back somewhere else because I think it is a great part of the year to be involved in.”

Jamie Whincup and Broc Feeney won last year. Picture: Getty Images

The driver comments came as Erebus Motorsport’s Jack Le Brocq topped the final practice session on Friday for the Sandown 500 ahead of Brown and Brad Jones Racing’s Andre Heimgartner.

Pye was the fastest driver in the earlier co-driver only practice session.

Brown holds an 81-point lead over Ford rival Chaz Mostert in the championship standings, but said he could not start seriously thinking about the title battle until after the enduro races at Sandown and Bathurst.

“I would rather be in the lead than anywhere else, that’s for sure,” Brown said.

“We are in a great position. Obviously, Chaz has done a fantastic job in the last couple of rounds.

Who will win this year’s Sandown race. Picture: Getty Images

“It’s going to be a great end to the year, but I think the championship, you don’t know until after Sandown and Bathurst. There is no point putting too much emphasis on it yet or focusing too much on that because these are the big races and anyone could get a DNF or anything like that.

“We just focus on what we’re doing for these next two rounds and then after Bathurst is when you’ll put a bit more emphasis and start thinking about the championship a bit more.”

Drivers could be faced with wet conditions for qualifying and the top-10 shootout on Saturday with rain forecast for different stages throughout the day.

Brown said it was a “pretty wild track to race on” and one of the hardest to qualify on in the wet, but New Zealander Heimgartner was one hoping for wet weather.

“Hopefully it pisses down,” Heimgartner said.

“But it’s Melbourne, so no one even knows what’s going to happen.

“It probably will be wet here at some stage, but old-school tracks in the wet are actually very sketchy … it will be exciting viewing even if it’s just (wet for) practice.”

Originally published as Supercars 2024: Will Brown cements top spot with first endurance crown