Midfield points battle takes another twist in Darwin

The Merlin Darwin Triple Crown shook up the points table, with the midfield battle again taking another twist.

Team 18 driver Mark Winterbottom retained sixth position following solid runs to fifth and seventh on Sunday.

The biggest winners were Nick Percat, James Courtney and Will Brown, who moved up to seventh, ninth and 10th respectively.

All three drivers finished every race in the top 10 with Percat, perhaps unfairly labelled as a midfielder, supreme in his run to the Race 12 podium on Saturday.

WATCH: BEST OVERTAKES IN DARWIN

The 2011 Bathurst winner has been steadily rising up the grid since he left the Bathurst season-opener 14th in the standings.

After Darwin, Percat is just 34 points behind sixth-placed Mark Winterbottom.

For a time, Percat’s podium hung in the balance following a post-race investigation into his tyre pressures.

Percat displaced Anton De Pasquale, who also endured a challenging weekend, punctuated by his involvement in the Race 12 start melee.

Courtney was penalised after Race 12 after a Safety Car restart procedure breach, and was demoted from fourth to 10th.

WATCH: RACE 14 RECAP

With Courtney penalised and Percat’s result under a cloud, Brown loomed to claim a maiden main game podium.

Brown crossed the line fifth, and was fourth after the results were corrected.

The first-year Erebus Motorsport driver displaced teammate Brodie Kostecki to move into 10th in the standings.

Kostecki, however, is just four points behind heading to next month’s NTI Townsville 500.

The biggest losers in Darwin were Kelly Grove Racing duo Andre Heimgartner and David Reynolds.

After trying events at The Bend Motorsport Park and Hidden Valley Raceway, Reynolds lies 15th.

Percat's form continues to impress

The 2017 Bathurst winner was seventh after the second round at Sandown, where he claimed a podium in Race 5.

Teammate and Race 9 winner Heimgartner suffered even worse in Darwin; the Kiwi has dropped to 12th after arriving in the Top End seventh.

Heimgartner’s Darwin weekend ended in retirement after a suspension drama in Race 14.

Courtney, Brown, Kostecki and Heimgartner are covered by just 22 points, with the former three covered by just seven points.

The season will resume at next month’s NTI Townsville 500. Tickets are on sale now.