'Obviously it works out well': Fuel-saving Wood reacts after Mostert swap
Ryan Wood insists he had to save fuel before he let Chaz Mostert
Wood let teammate Mostert through at final corner, Broc Feeney cruised home
Feeney leads Mostert by 23 points heading into Sunday's finale
Ryan Wood insists he had to save fuel in the closing stint of Saturday's bp Adelaide Grand Final race before he let teammate Chaz Mostert through at the final corner.
Wood challenged eventual winner Broc Feeney on the run home, before dropping back and sidestepping for Walkinshaw Andretti United teammate Mostert at the last corner. It gifted nine more crucial points to Mostert, who heads into Sunday 23 points behind Feeney.
There was a cloud over Wood heading into the race, with the #2 Mobil 1 Truck Assist Ford undergoing frantic repairs to a lift pump issues.
In the final stint, engineer Richard Harris informed Wood of a "big gap behind" to Mostert. Harris reiterated that Wood didn't need to "beat" Mostert, but Wood slowed up enough that Mostert got by at the final corner.
The margin between Feeney and Wood hovered at a second before the WAU driver began backing off with three laps to go. The situation was made easier for WAU as Will Brown and Kai Allen battled on track. All told, Wood dropped 14.2s to Mostert in the last four laps.
Harris praised Wood before apologising over the fuel issue, which led to frustration for the New Zealander in PIRTEK Victory Lane.
"I don't really know what to say, unfortunately. Couldn't get the job done," said Wood, who was picked off by an aggressive Feeney after the second stops.
"And then, we sort of knew going into the race we had to change some fuel stuff and unfortunately it caught up with us at the end of the race.
"Rich [Harris, engineer] was saying most of the race, that it was gonna be tight and I was gonna have to fuel save at some stage and I didn't realise how much.
"Obviously, all in all, it works out well for the team, but I would've loved to keep pressuring Broc into those last four, three laps, because, I thought we were pretty line-ball.
"Kudos to him. The move was aggressive and he's gotta do what he's gotta do and there's still one more race tomorrow. Make sure he has got his eyes on in the mirrors and it'll be good."
The Kiwi doubled down on his need to fuel save in the post-race conference: "Yeah it was unfortunate. We did have problems before the race and the boys had to work overtime to make sure the car actually got out, so real kudos to them.
"I'm just glad to make the finish. Obviously I would've loved to push Broc all the way to the last lap, but it is what it is."
If Mostert wins Sunday's race, Feeney needs third to clinch the title. Wood wants the win for himself, having missed out once again, and insisted it was never meant to be on Saturday.
"We'd love to get close to the win tomorrow," Wood said.
"Unfortunately just made a meal of that out lap and Broc got the run and yeah, just kicking myself to be honest.
"All in all, I don't think we would've won the race anyways, yeah, it is what it is."
Supercars action resumes on Sunday with Boost Mobile Qualifying at 10:00am local/10:30am AEDT, followed by the Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout at 12:35pm/1:05pm. The 78-lap Race 34 follows at 3:15pm/3:45pm.
