Feeney locked in: The rise of a young Bull

Current Dunlop Super2 Series leader Broc Feeney will make his full-time debut in the 2022 Repco Supercars Championship.

Red Bull Ampol Racing confirmed on Tuesday that Feeney will replace Jamie Whincup when the seven-time champion retires at season’s end.

When the 2022 season begins, Feeney will be just 19 years old, making him Triple Eight’s youngest ever driver.

Feeney will also race for the team in a Supercheap Auto-backed wildcard alongside 2005 Supercars champion Russell Ingall.

Feeney began racing motorbikes at three, before moving into karts at age nine.

He claimed his first title in 2017, winning the KA2 class in the Australian Karting Championships.

He then moved to cars the following year at age 15, and became the youngest race winner in Toyota 86 Racing Series history.

The Queenslander’s trajectory to the main game continued when he came under the wing of 2014 Bathurst 1000 winner Paul Morris in 2018.

In May 2019, at the age of 16, Feeney got his first taste of main game action, driving for Erebus Motorsport in the additional drivers’ practice session at Winton.

Feeney has had some big names in his corner

Later that year, the apprentice mechanic became the youngest winner in the Super3 Series, scoring a first-up pole position and race win in the opening round.

The Gold Coast-born racer completed his maiden Super2 Series season with Tickford Racing in 2020, and qualified on the front row for both races at Sydney Motorsport Park.

He crashed out in the Bathurst finale to finish seventh overall in the standings.

The same weekend saw Feeney team up with 2010 champion James Courtney for the Bathurst 1000.

The age gap between the two was 22 years, but they combined to finish a sterling 10th.

He won on his Triple Eight Super2 debut in February

Feeney celebrated his 18th birthday on race day, and duly drove to a top 10 on his Great Race debut.

The 2021 season has been a whirlwind for Feeney, who sealed the plumb move to Triple Eight.

Such is the team’s confidence in Feeney, that he was given the honour of campaigning the iconic #888 in this year’s Super2 Series.

He qualified on pole for the season opener at Mount Panorama, and converted to victory in Race 1.

Feeney has been the one to beat in 2021

In May, Feeney was called up to substitute for Shane van Gisbergen to drive the team’s Mercedes in the GT World Challenge Australia round at The Bend Motorsport Park.

As the Whincup replacement whispers grew louder, Feeney’s performances began to grow ever more impressive.

He dominated the Super2 doubleheader in Townsville last month, leaving North Queensland having claimed three poles, three race wins, two round wins and the series lead.

Come October, and he will turn 19, and its already his Super2 title to lose.

When he rolls out in the main game in 2022, he will have to August 4 to break Scott McLaughlin’s youngest race winner record of 19 years, 10 months and 3 days.