Feeney flies into the 2:04s as Bathurst pace heats up

The pace is heating up at the Repco Bathurst 1000, with championship leader Broc Feeney stealing top spot from Ryan Wood at the last chance of asking in Practice 3.

Thursday's overcast skies and wet conditions were replaced by blue skies once cars rolled out, with Practice 1 fast man Wood looking set to claim top spot for the second time in three sessions.

However, Feeney survived slides across the top of the Mountain to nail the first 2:04s lap of the weekend to stamp his claim as a pre-race favourite.

After an overnight rebuild for the #18 DEWALT Chevrolet, Anton De Pasquale followed a 2:06.3203s with a 2:05.7559s to bring smiles to the Team 18 garage early on.

However, it wasn't without close calls for De Pasquale, who clobbered the wall at the exit of Griffins Bend, closely followed by Macauley Jones who made even heavier contact at the same spot.

Cameron Hill shot to the top with a 2:05.3972s ahead of James Golding (2:05.6085s), before Cam Waters began to show pace. The Monster Energy Ford rose to second with a 2:05.5368s, before jumping to the top with a 2:05.2634s with 37 minutes remaining.

Thomas Randle pipped his teammate by 0.0898s with a 2:05.1736s to form a Tickford Racing 1-2 into the second half of the session. Erebus Motorsport rookie Jobe Stewart, meanwhile, raised eyebrows with consecutive fast laps of 2:05.3464s and 2:05.3304s to move to third.

With 22 minutes remaining, Team 18 veteran David Reynolds flew across the top of the Mountain to claim top spot with a 2:05.1042s. Randle loomed to go quicker, but fell short with a 2:05.1597s. In response, Waters clocked a 2:05.0682s to reclaim top spot, with the top three covered by 0.09s with 20 minutes to go.

Waters and Randle handed over to their respective co-drivers for the final stanza of the session, as Cooper Murray vaulted to third with a 2:05.1210s, just 0.0528s off the pace.

Into the final 10 minutes, Wood shot to the top with a 2:05.0104s, before De Pasquale and Macauley Jones both clouted the concrete exiting Griffins Bend. Both Camaro drivers seemingly got away with it, despite their cars making significant square-on contact with the wall.

All the while, Triple Eight hadn't fired a shot into the final three minutes, with Feeney getting crossed up at McPhillamy Park on his out-lap.

Sitting 19th, Feeney was on the march, again saving a wild slide at McPhillamy to improve to 11th. Teammate Will Brown, meanwhile, improved at the death to jump from 21st to second with a 2:05.0547s.

As the chequered flag flew, Feeney returned serve with the first 2:04s of the weekend, a 2:04.9763s, to spare the blushes of his earlier slides. Feeney blew the 2024 Practice 3 benchmark, his own 2:06.7842s, out of the water.

All told, Feeney, Wood, Brown and Waters were covered by just 0.0919s.

Supercars action resumes with Practice 4 at 1:05pm. Friday's action concludes with the all-important Boost Mobile Qualifying at 4:10pm, which sets the running order for Saturday's Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout.

Live coverage of the Repco Bathurst 1000 can be found live on screens of the Seven Network, 7plus, Fox Sports and Kayo Sports.