Finals Watch: Breakout teen Allen emerges as serious contender

Kai Allen was the big winner in the race for The Finals at the betr Darwin Triple Crown, as his rookie season exploded into life.

The teenager was a standout on his first-ever visit to Hidden Valley Raceway, claiming his maiden career Supercars podiums with a third in Race 18 and second in Race 19.

As a result, the 2023 Super2 champion gained five positions in the standings to leave Darwin in 12th, and more importantly has gained 96 points on the crucial 10th place in the standings to sit just 43 points behind Anton De Pasquale.

In the off-season, Supercars.com predicted that there would be a rookie in The Finals in 2025, and with the next stop in Townsville the scene of Allen's maiden Super2 victory in 2023, he could well and truly maintain his form.

Whilst Allen was the big winner, fellow Ford driver Thomas Randle lost out during the weekend, failing to score a single top 10 finish in a difficult weekend for Tickford.

Randle lost one spot to Brodie Kostecki, but has slipped from being 142 points clear of the bubble to just 75 points clear of De Pasquale. Such is Randle's current form, that Mark Skaife believes Ryan Wood will push him out of the 10.

Wood's Saturday engine failure, his second straight retirement and second mechanical failure in three races, saw the #2 Mustang fall out of the top 10, however he is still well within striking distance of a Finals berth just 22 points away in 11th.

Nick Percat and James Golding are also within 100 points of De Pasquale in 13th and 14th respectively, with the points spread from Randle to Golding just 158 points.

2025 Finals Watch after Round 6

After 2025 betr Darwin Triple Crown