Chaz Mostert cautious on Toyota Bathurst chances
Toyota delivered stunning 1-3 result in maiden Supercars enduro
All five Toyota Supras finished maiden enduro without issue
Chaz Mostert says Walkinshaw TWG Racing and the wider Toyota camp will take a lot of confidence to the Mountain after a brilliant enduro debut for the GR Supra.
Mostert and Ryan Wood, along with their respective co-drivers Fabian Coulthard and Jaxon Evans, delivered a stunning 1-3 result at The Bend.
The two Walkinshaw cars started 11th and 14th, but kept their noses clean, raced through the pack, and delivered on strategy to send shockwaves through the paddock.
Walkinshaw TWG Racing and UK-based Swindon Powertrains delivered a ‘B-spec’ engine in time for Ipswich, before works continued in the lead-up to the Ryco Enduro Cup opener. In an emphatic response to the QR DNF, the five Toyotas — fitted with the 'A-spec' engines — logged major miles at the test day.
As expected, the “bullring" nature of The Bend’s West Circuit put all cars to the test, but there was only one DNF — a heartbreaking late motor issue for Declan Fraser’s PremiAir Chevrolet.
Not only did all five Toyotas finish, they finished well, the Andre Heimgartner/Bryce Fullwood Brad Jones Racing entry racing to eighth.
"Yeah, I'm hoping so. It's done the hard yards today,” said Mostert to media, when asked about the Toyota engine performance.
"It's pretty hard little bullring this year, especially with the way Turn 6 is now and how hard this track is on brakes.
“You have to work your engines pretty hard around here, the car jolts through Turn 6 and the car held up really good for 500k’s.
“Our team obviously have been working really hard on a few different things this year with the brand new Toyota, and I think this is a awesome result to get two team cars, two Toyotas to the end of the 500.
“We'll take a lot of confidence going that into the 1000.”
Such was Mostert’s performance, that he pushed his engine even further after the race with a series of doughnuts.
“Touch wood, you know, the guys have done an awesome job, especially with the B-spec coming in,” Mostert added on the broadcast.
"QR was a little bit of a weird one, did not expect those things to be happening. But the team's just been working super hard and it's just so good to reward them with a result.”
Mostert clinched his Finals berth with the victory, with Bathurst to conclude the Ryco Enduro Cup on October 8-11.
