Super3 title winner's remorse for crashed rival
Brad Vaughan felt the pain of Super3 title rival Kai Allen, whose Adelaide accident decided the crown.
Vaughan and Allen — who will both race in Super2 in 2023 — fought all season for the Super3 title.
The battle went down to the final race, with Allen in the box seat to win.
However, Allen crashed at Turn 8 early in Race 2, with Vaughan tucked in just behind.
It came after Allen scored his record-extending 11th straight pole.
The two shared all 12 poles and 11 wins; Allen had six wins to Vaughan's five, although the last one was the one that mattered most.
While delighted to take a Super3 title into Super2, Vaughan knew what Allen was going through.
“I don’t want to say I feel for Kai, but I feel his pain,” Vaughan said.
“He’s been strong all year — we’ve been better in races, he’s been good in qualifying.
“He’ll bounce back next year. I look forward to racing him next year.”
When asked what went through his mind when he saw Allen crash, Vaughan replied: “Don’t crash.
"I just had to finish the race. Once I saw that, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
“I had a mini celebration, but I had to calm it down and had to do rest of the race.
“It’s an odd way to win it, but I couldn’t be happier.
“Street circuits, things happen. It happened to me in Townsville.
“You fight to the last lap, and stay out of trouble. That’s why we won.”
Vaughan has been recruited by Tickford Racing in an extended Super2 effort in 2023.
Allen will remain wth Eggleston Motorsport, but will jump to the second-tier series.
Given Triple Eight has withdrawn from Super2 for 2023, Vaughan knows he is jumping into a hot seat.
“It’s one of the best seats, if not the best already,” he said of the Tickford drive.
“We’re full focus from tomorrow onwards, and we’ll get on a run from Newcastle.
“To do it in the home round and to have Adelaide back — it’s unreal.”
The 2023 Supercars, Super2 and Super3 seasons will commence in Newcastle next March.
Tickets are on sale on Supercars.com and Ticketek.com.
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