Pye elated with season-best weekend

Sandown proved a bright spot for Scott Pye in what has proved a luckless season.

Pye finished all three Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint races in the top 10.

After crossing the line seventh on Saturday, Pye returned on Sunday and scored finishes of fifth and seventh.

It was the first time since Townsville 2020 that Pye had finished all three races of a weekend in the 10.

The Team 18 driver finished fifth overall on points for the weekend.

It was in wild contrast to previous rounds, with Pye undone by accidents and poor reliability.

Between Perth and Townsville, Pye had retired from four races; he was unable to start races in Perth and Darwin due to damage.

"A great weekend,” he said.

"I’m really happy with that, stoked for the crew as well, they played a huge part in all three of those races.

"Their pit stops were amazing, we had engine changes, gearbox changes on my car and the car ran faultless after every change we did.

“A huge thanks to everyone at Nulon Racing and Team 18.

“We’ll try and take this momentum into Pukekohe in a few weeks.”

Teammate Mark Winterbottom was eighth, 12th and fifth, the latter result frustrating the veteran with a podium in reach.

Winterbottom was ninth on points for the weekend, and remains 12th overall heading to Pukekohe.

The 2015 champion is, however, just 80 points from eighth-placed Brodie Kostecki.

Pye is 17th overall, 324 points from the top 10.

Team 18 jumped to seventh in the teams’ standings across the weekend.

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