Opinion: The price of Bathurst victory, and how Finals delivered early

The true mark of a great race is how many times you change the first sentence and headline of your race report.

For the 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000, I recall changing it at least half a dozen times in the final 10 laps, as four drivers from four different teams jostled for victory.

The destination of the Peter Brock Trophy wasn’t assured until, perhaps, the time Matt Payne exited The Chase on the 161st and final time on Sunday evening.

For those watching trackside, from home and around the world, it was special. For media working on the race, it was both stressful and euphoric.

I wrote Cooper Murray had won, then Matt Payne, then James Golding, then Payne again, then as David Reynolds had a crack at The Cutting on the final lap, there was a time where I readied to write ‘Team 18 upset’. Our social media manager Brent re-did the winners' graphic at least three times.

Bathurst chews you up and spits you out. Critically, you need to have that happen at the right time. For Payne, qualifying 18th was a hammer blow. That car was 12th on average through the six practice sessions. They were nowhere… until the race.

Personally, Bathurst treats you poorly for arrogance. After Taupō, I made a bet with colleague Zac that Brodie Kostecki/Todd Hazelwood would win again. If the #38 wins, he pays up $200. If anyone else wins, I’m $200 out of pocket.

It was a dumb bet, yet proof of how confident I was. But, Bathurst just doesn’t work that way — and The Finals will be the same. I should’ve known better, but like drivers and teams, you put everything on the line.

When the #38 walked it in at The Bend, Zac began to get nervous. When Brodie cruised to pole, Zac went quiet. The bet was on, until it wasn’t. We shook hands when Brodie centre-punched Kai Allen at Hell Corner. I’m torn — I was close, but like the #38, I’ve got egg on my face.

The 2025 Repco Supercars Championship has already proven to be a defining one for so many drivers and teams, and The Finals elevates that. Broc Feeney has 14 poles and 12 wins, for god’s sake, yet arrives on the Gold Coast feeling the heat.

Matt Payne has won the Jason Richards Trophy, Bathurst 1000 and Enduro Cup this year, yet still, some are doubting his title credentials. Will Brown has been flogged by Feeney, yet is third in points. How is Cam Waters still fourth? It’s crazy.

However, 2025 has proven a wake-up call for many. Many of you, I’m sure, were sceptics of The Finals. It’s new, it’s scary. Fair enough. But sport is emotionless without jeopardy. To have such Finals drama play out before the end of that Bathurst race was remarkable, and there’s more to come.

In the last 20 laps, Ryan Wood, Kai Allen, Cameron Hill and Andre Heimgartner were all in and out of The Finals. Rightfully, attention was on the fight for victory, but the storylines that unfolded throughout and afterwards was sport at its best.

Now we have our 10 Finals Drivers, it feels real. Arguably, these were the 10 best drivers anyway. The cream rose to the top at different parts of the season, the top six clinching their Finals berths before we arrived in Bathurst. The four who made it in Bathurst had to survive.

It’s that sort of race that will prove a turning point for so many drivers. I can’t imagine the fire burning within Wood right now, after being so close to a Bathurst win at 21 years of age. The Finals sets up tales of redemption, and he has one bigger than most.

Bathurst was epic, but we should expect that feeling to roll into the next three rounds. I anticipate changing first sentences and headlines in each of the next seven races. For that, we will all end up thanking The Finals, even if it sends journalists and social media managers into a frenzy.

The views in this article do not necessarily express the opinions of Supercars, teams or drivers.