Feeney resists Heimgartner challenge to win Race 14

Broc Feeney has staved off a mid-race Andre Heimgartner challenge to control Race 14 at the betr Darwin Triple Crown.

Feeney led home Shane van Gisbergen to secure a one-two for Red Bull Ampol Racing, the first for the team since Tasmania 2022.

Van Gisbergen demoted Heimgartner (#8 R&J Batteries Camaro) to third following his late pit stop, with the latter taking podium No. 3 of 2023.

It was Feeney’s first win in Darwin, his fourth of the season, and third from pole position.

Series leader Brodie Kostecki and Will Brown completed an Erebus Motorsport four-five result ahead of James Golding (#31 Nulon Camaro).

Kostecki will take a 109-point lead over Brown into Sunday’s finale, with Feeney closing to 159 points of the #99 Coca-Cola Camaro.

Macauley Jones (#96 Pizza Hut Camaro) impressed to seventh ahead of Brad Jones Racing teammate, Darwin local Bryce Fullwood (#14 Middy’s Electrical Camaro), with Scott Pye (#20 Hino Camaro) ninth.

Thomas Randle (#55 Castrol Mustang) was first Ford home in 10th, with Tim Slade (#23 Nulon Camaro) 11th ahead of Cam Waters, who raced from 25th to 12th in his repaired #6 Monster Energy Mustang.

Chaz Mostert, who raced from 24th to 13th, took home bonus points after setting the fastest lap of the race aboard his #25 Mobil 1 Optus Mustang).

"To get pole position, get a good start and lead the race from start to finish, was awesome," said Feeney, who claimed the fifth win of his career.

"Stoked for the team... we've made a massive step forward from the past few rounds."

Feeney and Heimgartner enjoyed even starts as the field stormed down to Turn 1 for the first time.

Further around the lap, Declan Fraser (#56 TRADIE Mustang) and Matt Payne (#19 Penrite Mustang) collided through Turn 7, the latter spinning in front of the field.

Behind them, Jack Le Brocq (#34 Truck Assist Camaro) checked up and was drilled by Jack Smith (#4 SCT Logistics Camaro), who was forced into retirement with heavy front-end damage.

Heimgartner weathered an early challenge from van Gisbergen to slot into second, with Feeney opening up a 1.3s gap.

Series leader Kostecki sat behind teammate Brown and Golding, and made a move on the latter for fifth.

Erebus brought Brown in on lap 9 in an aggressive undercut strategy, six laps before Golding and Will Davison (#17 Shell V-Power Mustang) stopped.

Heimgartner, Kostecki, Todd Hazelwood (#3 CoolDrive Mustang) and Anton De Pasquale (#11 Shell V-Power Mustang) stopped on lap 18.

On rejoin, Heimgartner and Kostecki sandwiched Brown, with the Erebus duo later trading places.

Red Bull Ampol Racing pitted Feeney in response on the following lap, and the margin between the #88 and #8 Chevrolets had dropped to less than a second.

Heimgartner applied the pressure to the rear of the #88 Red Bull Ampol Camaro as van Gisbergen pressed on.

Van Gisbergen was brought in on lap 25, and the reigning champion benefited from a 2.7s stop to slot in behind Heimgartner.

It took just one lap for van Gisbergen to pounce, with the three-time champion passing Heimgartner at Turn 5.

However, van Gisbergen still had two seconds to find on his teammate, with Feeney unchallenged to the chequered flag, winning by 1.4s.

There was much to play for behind them, however; Nick Percat (#2 Mobil 1 NTI Mustang) was penalised over contact with David Reynolds (#26 Penrite Mustang) on lap 28 at the Turn 6 hairpin.

It came after Reynolds was slapped with a five-second penalty over a pit lane merge infringement.

Davison, meanwhile, was forced into the garage on lap 29 with a bent right-front steering arm, having been caught up in the Percat/Reynolds tangle.

Penrite Racing teammates Reynolds and Payne were classified 22nd and 23rd ahead of Davison and Fraser, with Smith the sole retirement of the race.

The betr Darwin Triple Crown will conclude with 3:25pm local time/3:55pm AEST.