Tickford double blow, DJR win triggers teams' championship shift

Friday's bp Adelaide Grand Final opener may have been a half-points sprint race, but that didn't stop chaos shaking up the championship order.

Brodie Kostecki recovered from a crash in Boost Mobile Qualifying to claim Race 32 victory and the $50,000 that goes with it, leading home Walkinshaw Andretti United teammates Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood.

The win kept Ford's Champion Manufacturer title hopes alive, with Chevrolet leading 16-15 with two races remaining.

However, a series of dramatic moments in the rain-shortened race shook up the teams' championship, with WAU's double podium, Thomas Randle's DNF and Cam Waters' penalty closing the gap at the top.

While Red Bull Ampol Racing has already clinched the teams' championship, WAU heads into Saturday a reduced 33 points behind Tickford for third. After Bathurst, WAU was 341 points behind.

Waters dropped from fifth to eighth in the final classification after being penalised over a clash with Erebus Motorsport rookie Cooper Murray, while Randle crashed heavily at Turn 8.

There is a maximum of 480 points available in the final two races of the season. Triple Eight will start 2026 at the front of pit lane, while Penrite Racing can clinch second position on Saturday, sitting 476 ahead of Tickford.

Behind them, Kostecki's win and Will Davison's fightback from 25th to 11th helped the Shell V-Power Racing Team jump ahead of Brad Jones Racing for sixth.

A points penalty on the Gold Coast put Dick Johnson Racing behind BJR, but a strong Friday has DJR back ahead by 19 points heading into Saturday.

Team 18 jumped DJR in Bathurst, and was 179 points ahead of the Ford team after Sandown. The margin is now 141 points.

Supercars action resumes on Saturday with Boost Mobile Qualifying at 10:05am local/10:35am AEDT, followed by the Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout at 12:35pm/1:05pm. The 78-lap Race 33 follows at 3:20pm/3:50pm.