Feeney secures big payday, Bates brilliant in Ipswich Shootout

Broc Feeney has locked in a $50,000 payday at season's end with a 13th pole of 2025 at the Century Batteries Ipswich Super 440.

Feeney clinched the 2025 Boost Mobile Pole Award with a clean sweep of poles at Ipswich, taking his tally to 13 poles with nine remaining. Feeney becomes the first Triple Eight driver since Shane van Gisbergen in 2016 to achieve the feat.

The pole-winning margin of 0.4629s bettered an Ipswich record set in dry conditions 26 years ago, with Jason Bright beating Garth Tander to pole by 0.4597s in 1999. Feeney did claim pole on Saturday by 0.4782s, although that session was affected by rain.

Only Scott McLaughlin (16 in 2017, 15 in 2019 and 2020) has claimed more poles in a season than Feeney, who now has 13 poles from 25 attempts.

Feeney will share the Sunday front row with Ryan Wood, with Triple Eight Race Engineering wildcard rookie Zach Bates a brilliant fifth.

"Yeah I'm pretty pumped, look I knew we've had a fast car all weekend, and I always love these Shootouts, I think that's four in a row now this year," said Feeney.

"It's bloody awesome, and to do it by nearly half a second here at QR is fantastic in front of all of my friends and family, I've got my Nan upstairs watching and everyone here.

"It's fantastic to warp up the Boost Pole Award already this year, 50 grand is pretty awesome."

David Reynolds rolled out first on used tyres, and inside locking at Turn 3 led to a 1:09.6027s. Cameron Hill also made a mistake at Turn 3, running slightly wide of the apex, however made up three tenths in the middle sector to set a 1:09.3517s.

James Golding then set an impressive first sector that was a tenth of a second up on Hill, with his time of a 1:09.3391 just 0.012s up on the Matt Stone Racing Camaro.

On new tyres, Ryan Wood commenced his warm-up phase earlier than his rivals, and marched to a 1:08.8122s with the quickest second and third sectors. Unable to bring the tyre in, Chaz Mostert never got going and ended up 0.547s behind his teammate.

A scrappy lap on used tyres dropped Brodie Kostecki into second, with the 2023 champion 0.425s behind Wood. The reigning champion went next, and Will Brown ragged his Red Bull Ampol Chevrolet to the fastest first sector. However, Brown fell away in the final two sectors, and finished off 0.017s off Wood's time.

Only Bates, Feeney and Anton De Pasquale stood in Wood's way, with the wildcard rookie getting Queensland Raceway all to himself. Under pressure, Bates went fastest of the used tyre runners with a 1:09.1427s, and wound up third.

With the world at his feet, Feeney destroyed the field with a 1:08.3493s, putting 0.462s on Wood. De Pasquale was only good enough for fourth with a 1:09.0021s.

The 200km Race 25 will commence at 3:15pm AEST.