Feeney, Brown stumped after qualifying collapse

Red Bull Ampol Racing’s struggles have continued in Townsville, with both drivers eliminated in the first part of Friday qualifying.

Less than three weeks after missing the podium in all three races in Darwin, Broc Feeney and Will Brown slumped to 16th and 19th in qualifying.

Matt Payne is now in the box seat to claim the lead from Feeney, who has carried the orange numbers for the last six races. Payne put his #19 Penrite Ford into third, behind Ford rivals Brodie Kostecki and Cam Waters.

Brown’s dramas began when he stopped on the run to Turn 2 with a loose front left wheel. Race engineer Andrew Edwards told Brown: “It’s not done up.”

The #888 Ford’s stoppage caused a red flag, but after the session resumed, Brown said: “Feel like something’s still broken.

Edwards replied: “We didn't see anything that concerned us.”

Feeney and Brown were among the first to cross the line as the seconds wound down, but were quickly knocked out of the top 10.

Cam Waters and Chaz Mostert led the way in Q1, but Feeney and Brown were forced to watch on, Triple Eight failing to get either car into the top 15 for the first time since Sydney 2023.

“It’s sloppy from these guys,” 2010 Supercars champion James Courtney said in commentary. 2015 champion Mark Winterbottom added: “It’s un-Triple Eight like.”

"I was a second off what I did in that first run early today. So yeah, not really sure what went on there. Just scrap it,” a confused Feeney said on the broadcast.

Brown added: "I didn't know if like it was motor or what. It was just making a really bad noise. But then I switched off, like just stopped and I could notice that.

"I was trying to ask them on the TV what it looked like, if it was there was something else stuck there or what. So we worked out it was just a loose wheel, and I tried just bringing it back.

"But yeah, not a great session obviously. A little stuff up there and then we're slow."

Anton De Pasquale was another front-runner to slump, qualifying 14th.