Broc Feeney overturned 110-point deficit to win 2026 Sprint Cup
Matt Payne DNF, Feeney victory turned Sprint Cup on its head on Sunday
Feeney leads Payne by 30 points heading to The Bend on September 11-13
Broc Feeney has revealed how his father Paul never lost hope of a come-from-behind Repco Sprint Cup victory.
Red Bull Ampol Racing driver Feeney turned a 110-point deficit to Matt Payne to victory on Sunday, with the Queenslander winning the Sprint Cup for a second time.
Payne only needed to finish within sight of Feeney to clinch the Sprint Cup. For Feeney, he needed to finish on the podium, and have his rival strike trouble.
That's exactly what happened: Payne was ruled out with a yet-to-be-diagnosed engine issue, while Feeney powered to his sixth win of the season.
Speaking after the race, Feeney explained that his Dad — himself a former motorcycle racer — insisted the battle wasn't over.
"I'm sure a lot of people did believe that we could kind of pull it off,” Feeney told media post-race.
"But my Dad, you know, for some reason just kept telling me all week, 'You're gonna win this thing. You're gonna win it. You've just gotta be in it to win it’.
“He's seen it plenty of times over his racing and I've been on the wrong side of it at the end of last year as well.
“Even this morning I'm like, 'Dad, what are you talking about? I'm 110 points off’. And he said, 'Just put your best foot forward and try and do it’."
It comes after Feeney landed the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy despite entered the final day as rank underdog. On that occasion, Feeney claimed a podium finish, which was enough to win after Brodie Kostecki spun off, and Ryan Wood retired.
“It's surreal to be honest. I mean, I think probably everyone's in as much disbelief as I am," Feeney said.
“My feelings do go out for Matty and Groves because they have put together a really good Sprint Cup championship.
"I think I had luck on my side at the back end to Christchurch and was able to walk away with the JR Trophy, and we had that today.
"But we didn't win it by coming fifth or something. We won the race today, and that's probably the thing that nearly means the most, to get to this part of the season and win the race and obviously have the Sprint Cup kind of fall in our lap."
Feeney carries a 30-point lead over Payne to the first enduro at The Bend on September 11-13.
