Kostecki, van Gisbergen in box seat for Perkins Trophy
Brodie Kostecki and Shane van Gisbergen are in the box seat to win the 2023 edition of the Larry Perkins Perpetual Trophy.
Kostecki and van Gisbergen are separated by a single point at the top heading into Sunday's Beaurepaires Melbourne SuperSprint finale.
The two Camaro drivers have finished either first or second in the three races so far, Kostecki taking two wins to van Gisbergen's one.
Kostecki won Races 4 and 5 after van Gisbergen took out Thursday's Race 3.
Neither driver has had it all their own way; Kostecki had a nervous wait on Saturday, given a post-race investigation. Van Gisbergen crashed in Practice 1.
After three races, Kostecki has 219 points to van Gisbergen's 218, the Camaro drivers two of five drivers in contention.
Kostecki and van Gisbergen's respective teammates, Will Brown and Broc Feeney, are also in contention.
It's been the Kostecki v SVG show
Brown scored podiums on Thursday and Saturday, with Feeney also scoring podiums on Thursday and Friday.
Feeney kept himself in contention with a stunning drive from 21st to seventh in Saturday's Race 5.
Championship leader Chaz Mostert is, like van Gisbergen, eyeing a second Perkins Trophy.
The likes of Brown, Feeney and Mostert need Kostecki and van Gisbergen to slip up in Sunday's sprint should they take the trophy.
Feeney and Mostert are best-placed to mount an attack, given they still start from first and second for Race 6. Brown will start behind them in third.
Van Gisbergen and Kostecki, meanwhile, will start 12th and 14th for the 13-lap race, which is scheduled to start at 10:25am local time.
"Tomorrow’s race will be exciting battling for the Larry Perkins Trophy with Brodie," said van Gisbergen, who won it last year.
"I bumped into Larry today and he’s a hero of mine – it was a pretty awesome moment to win that last year and be presented the trophy by Larry himself.
"This year to still be in the running is really cool.... we start mid pack tomorrow so it’s going to be a great battle, but I’m really looking forward to it."
2023 Larry Perkins Perpetual Trophy points (after Race 5)
