Triple Eight bracing for 'tricky' Finals balancing act

Triple Eight is the only team all but set to have two drivers fighting for the championship in the Finals, but the team is way of balancing both drivers in the post-season.

Broc Feeney leads teammate Will Brown by 183 points with two Repco Sprint Rounds remaining, and with respective 714- and 531-point leads over 10th place, they are odds-on to reach the Finals.

At current, only Triple Eight and Tickford Racing have both drivers in the top 10, but on current form, Thomas Randle is at risk of dropping out of the 10, with Ryan Wood and Kai Allen on the outside looking in.

Penrite Racing has already signalled its intentions of having both drivers in the Finals, with Allen jumping to 12th after a breakout weekend in Darwin.

Making the 10 is one thing, but finishing up the order and securing as many bonus points as possible is another. At current, Feeney will score 25 bonus points for winning the Sprint Cup, which also gains the winner automatic entry into the Finals.

At the first round of the Finals at the Gold Coast, all 10 drivers in the Finals have their championship points reset to 3000 points. Standings from the regular season then define the regular season bonus points.

The driver in first has 150 points, with a decreasing bonus of 120, 96, 78, 66, 57, 48, 39, 30 down to 21 points for 10th. Sprint Cup and Enduro Cup Bonus points are then applied.

For what it's worth, not including Enduro Cup bonus points, Feeney could have 3175 points to start the Gold Coast weekend, and current second-placed driver Brown 3120.

Speaking in Darwin, Triple Eight co-owner Steve Blackmore said having both drivers in the Finals is the clear priority, but managing the expectations of both will be the hard part.

It comes as Triple Eight also looks to finish its storied partnership with General Motors on a high before it moves to Ford from 2026.

“We’re super keen to have both drivers there doing it,” Blackmore said.

“Obviously, as it gets closer to the time, trying to work out how you strategise that and make it all work is going to be really tricky and a challenge.

“Ideally, we want to finish this year with GM finishing 1-2, but it’s going to be a really tough challenge. Anyone who’s going to be in that top 10 on a day, having a good race, really could take it out.

“It’s going to be challenge, but we’re looking forward to it."