How Kostecki can break clear of Brock, Moffat

Dick Johnson Racing star Brodie Kostecki could break new ground at the Mountain if he paces the field once again in the Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout.

Already a seven-time Boost Mobile Pole winner in 2026, Shell V-Power Racing Team ace Kostecki returns to Bathurst chasing a remarkable piece of history.

Kostecki, the 2024 race winner, is currently on a streak of three consecutive Bathurst 1000 poles, a feat only he, Peter Brock and Allan Moffat have achieved in the event's 63-year history.

Ford legend Moffat went three straight across 1970, 1971 and 1972, before Holden hero Brock did a three-peat in 1977, 1978 and 1979.

Undefeated on Shootout Saturday in the Gen3 era, Kostecki is a raging favourite to do it again in 2026, and don’t have to look back very far to see why.

Kostecki claimed pole for the last start AirTouch 500 at The Bend, marching from sixth in Boost Mobile Qualifying to top spot in the run-off. If there was ever a lap that proved to the field who the Shootout benchmark was, that was it.

It hasn’t been all that close at the Mountain, either. Kostecki claimed his three poles by margins of 0.483s, 0.131s and 0.176s.

How it unfolds this time around remains to be seen. There have been 10 different pole winners in 2026, and 20 of 29 poles have been decided by less than 0.1s.

While Mustang rival Matt Payne has seven poles in 2026, two-time Bathurst pole winner Cam Waters appears Kostecki’s biggest competition for pole in the Great Race.

Waters has started from the first two rows at the last seven Bathurst 1000s, while his average starting position in his last 10 Bathursts is 4.0.

Track action at Mount Panorama commences on Thursday October 8.

Most Bathurst 1000 poles

Most consecutive Bathurst 1000 poles

*Streak ongoing