Kostecki reveals how close he was to fuel trouble

Brodie Kostecki was a triumphant figure in PIRTEK Victory Lane on Sunday in Bathurst, but the reigning champion revealed how he was cutting it fine on fuel.

Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood took out Sunday’s Repco Bathurst 1000 in dominant fashion, leading home Broc Feeney/Jamie Whincup.

Kostecki and Feeney were the class of the field, finishing 12 seconds up the road from Will Brown following an awkwardly-timed Safety Car on lap 132.

In clean air, the two Camaro drivers pushed each other in the final stint and set Shootout-like laps, to the point where Kostecki’s fuel light came on as he took the chequered flag.

He was, at least, luckier than Richie Stanaway, who ran out of fuel on the final lap and dropped from sixth to ninth.

The reigning champion hailed Race Engineer George Commins, who nailed the number as Kostecki secured his first Great Race win.

“George told me I was good,” said Kostecki, who was delighted to seal Bathurst redemption after missing out on strategy last year.

“I think we put a little bit extra in, knowing that I was going to be pushing my own air there.“I had my fuel light coming over the line, so he did a stellar job.

For the second time in as many years, the eventual winner cut it close, with Shane van Gisbergen “seconds from disaster” amid car troubles.

Kostecki had to set about a sensational pace to win, opening up a big lead over the Feeney/Whincup car in a race that featured the single Safety Car.

In what proved the fastest ever Bathurst 1000, Kostecki was put under pressure by Feeney before the Safety Car, before responding to race it home.

“We got to something like 120 laps with no Safety Car and I honestly couldn’t believe it,” Kostecki added.

“We had a good lead at that point and then Broc started chomping away at it a little bit there once the clouds came over the track. We had to make a few changes to the car to get it back into its window."