Seismic swings: A recent history of second-half comebacks
In the space of two rounds, Chaz Mostert has surged back into title contention, winning both races in Sydney and reeling off four straight podiums.
Critically, Mostert has out-scored championship leader Will Brown by 174 points in the last two rounds, and is now just 105 behind.
There are five rounds (including two enduros) to come, but fans are currently tipping Mostert to win it all in a Supercars.com poll.
Should Mostert do it, the 279-point margin to Brown after Darwin would be the biggest deficit overturned to become champion in Supercars history.
So, how would it stack up in recent second-half surges? Supercars.com looks at recent instances of big comebacks, with one name featuring heavily...
Russell Ingall, 2005
After Round 7 of 13: 115 points behind Marcos Ambrose
After Round 13 of 13: Champion by 57 points
Russell Ingall was third, 115 points behind NASCAR-bound teammate Marcos Ambrose, at the midway point of 2005. Chasing his first title, Ingall got into the fight with a win at Oran Park, and finished the year with 12 top 10s in 13 attempts. Ambrose and Craig Lowndes both crashed at Mount Panorama as Ingall finished fifth, with Ambrose slumping with seven top 10s in his final 13 races.
Rick Kelly, 2006
After Round 9 of 13: 101 points behind Craig Lowndes
After Round 13 of 13: Champion by 37 points
The 2006 season was about Craig Lowndes and Rick Kelly, and Lowndes had the running after beating Kelly to an emotional Bathurst win. However, as the wheels fell off for Lowndes, Kelly reeled off 10 of a possible 11 top 10 finishes to the final race. Lowndes missed the top 10 in three of four races across the Gold Coast and Tasmania rounds, before pulling Kelly back in to be level on points going into the final race. There, contact ensured, with Kelly a controversial champion.
Jamie Whincup, 2008
After Round 7 of 14: 208 points behind Mark Winterbottom
After Round 14 of 14: Champion by 253 points
After missing the entire third round in New Zealand after a qualifying crash, Jamie Whincup was over 200 points behind leader Mark Winterbottom at the halfway mark of the season. Whincup then went on a rampage, winning 11 of next 15 races, including Bathurst. Whincup reeled off seven straight wins in Bathurst, Gold Coast and Bahrain, and wrapped up the title with two sprints to spare at Oran Park.
James Courtney, 2010
After Round 4 of 14: 204 points behind Jamie Whincup
After Round 14 of 14: Champion by 65 points
Jamie Whincup won six of the first eight races to the fourth round in Hamilton, with James Courtney 204 points behind. As Whincup and Triple Eight faltered, Courtney won the next four in a row at Winton and Queensland Raceway to be 104 ahead after Round 6. It was a remarkable 308-point swing in Courtney's favour, with the Dick Johnson Racing driver sealing the title amid dramatic scenes at Sydney Olympic Park.
Jamie Whincup, 2014
After Round 5 of 14: 213 points behind Mark Winterbottom
After Round 14 of 14: Champion by 583 points
In one of the greatest swings in championship history, Jamie Whincup marched to the 2014 crown off the back of a stunning second half of the season. Mark Winterbottom was 213 points up the road after five rounds. However, Whincup won six of next eight races, amid a run of 11 of final 22, and wrapped the title up with a round to spare. All told, Whincup finished 596 points ahead of Winterbottom, completing a staggering 809-point swing in the final nine rounds.
Shane van Gisbergen, 2016
After Round 9 of 14: 137 points behind Jamie Whincup
After Round 14 of 14: Champion by 200 points
The 2016 season was a Triple Eight versus Triple Eight battle, with Shane van Gisbergen going up against Jamie Whincup in his first season with the team. Van Gisbergen had five wins to Whincup's three with five rounds to go, but Whincup led by 137 points thanks to a late Tasmania DNF and poor results in Darwin and Ipswich. Whincup won four races to van Gisbergen's three in the final five rounds, but wobbles in the big races cost Whincup. Whincup's co-driver Paul Dumbrell attracted a penalty at Sandown, while the infamous redress incident in Bathurst was a hammer blow. Van Gisbergen finished second in both enduros, and after they collided at Pukekohe, the Kiwi sealed the title with a race to spare.
Jamie Whincup, 2017
After Round 8 of 14: Scott McLaughlin led Jamie Whincup by 129 points
After Round 14 of 14: Champion by 21 points
The 2017 title could have been won by up to five drivers at the final round, but it was all about Scott McLaughlin and Jamie Whincup. McLaughlin was a beast over one lap, and had five wins to Whincup's one at the halfway mark. There were many more twists in the tale, with both drivers winning two more races each before the season finale, all while striking trouble in Bathurst. McLaughlin was in the box seat with Saturday victory in Newcastle, before an almighty capitulation paved the way to an unprecedented seventh title, and another big comeback by Whincup.
The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship will resume at the NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint on August 16-18. Tickets for the event are on sale now. Live coverage can be found on Foxtel, with live streaming available on Kayo. Highlights will be shown on the Seven Network and 7plus. International viewers can follow all the action on Superview.
