Brown desperate for reset amid Feeney hot streak

Will Brown is “pretty keen” to switch off and go again after Triple Eight teammate Broc Feeney left the reigning champion behind in Darwin.

Feeney extended his championship lead from 72 to 183 points over Brown in one weekend, courtesy of a perfect three-from-three weekend in the Top End.

As Feeney took home three poles, three wins and 305 points, Brown failed to crack the top 10 in qualifying, starting 14th, 17th and 11th.

The #1 Red Bull Ampol Camaro driver bounced back in the races, Brown finishing eighth, seventh and fifth, and gaining a whopping 22 positions across the three races to salvage his weekend. It could have been worse, Brown claiming he was "lucky to finish" the first race after a hairy Safety Car restart incident.

However, for just the second time in 18 events as a Triple Eight driver, Brown couldn’t reach the podium.

"Just really struggling with qualifying performance, not really happy with where we're at, but I had a really good race and got up to fifth to finish,” Brown said after Sunday’s race.

"I don't think anyone made more passes this weekend, not sure, but that's what happens starting where I'm starting. You've really got to fight for it and really have to race everyone well.

"I'd really rather not, to be honest, but it was great the last couple of laps making passes, really trying to pass Jack Le Brocq on the last lap and making it interesting.

"But at the end of the day, I'd love to be Broc. You know, Broc's done a fantastic job this weekend. Three poles, three wins, just a fantastic job.”

Brown is set to head to the United States for his NASCAR Cup Series cameo before Townsville. While it’s a big opportunity, the Queenslander is also determined to treat it as time to reset.

Feeney has out-scored Brown by 244 points across the last three rounds, winning seven of the last nine races to take control of the Repco Sprint Cup.

Penrite Racing driver Matt Payne, meanwhile, is just 14 points behind Brown.

“Just need to take a look at our side of the garage. We never felt like we were this far off Broc at any stage last year,” Brown said.

“We felt like we probably could've edged a little bit ahead or, you know, at least held our own with Broc and both have very competitive cars this year. But right now we probably feel like after the last three or four rounds we haven't really been there.

"Between here and Townsville I'm pretty keen just to get over to Chicago and have a reset, to be honest. I look at it as a holiday, get to go over and race in NASCAR, enjoy myself, have a little bit of time off from this and work and all those things. So looking forward to getting over there, doing a reset and coming back strong for Townsville."