Late Darwin DNF leaves Mostert gutted
Chaz Mostert still on Finals bubble after Darwin DNF
Reigning champion unable to maximise speed on “bittersweet” weekend
Mostert powered from 14th to sixth on Saturday
Darwin proved a "bittersweet" weekend for Chaz Mostert, who was unable to make the most of superb pace in his Walkinshaw TWG Racing Toyota.
Results of seventh, sixth and DNF don't paint an accurate picture of how speedy Mostert's #1 Mobil 1 Optus Supra was in the races at Hidden Valley.
Writing in a post-event blog, Mostert said being “genuinely quick" all weekend long made the end result tough to take.
Notably, after racing from 11th to seventh on Friday, Mostert was among the fastest cars on track on Saturday, recovering from a slip on teammate Ryan Wood's debris to motor from 14th to sixth.
On that occasion, Mostert beamed with what he termed as "one of the coolest Gen3 cars I've ever driven."
An engine-related DNF on Sunday, however, was a sad footnote on a weekend where Mostert arguably deserved far more that what he achieved.
"I backed up the Saturday pace again and qualified fifth in the Shootout, so I was feeling really confident heading into the finale,” Mostert wrote.
"We were running seventh with just four laps to go when the Supra let go spectacularly — smoke billowing, engine gone.
"I told the guys on the radio: 'My engine just let go mate, gone.' Absolutely gutting. We came away with zero points from what could have been a top-seven finish, and that stings.”
With five events before the Finals cut-off, Mostert is only 51 points ahead of 11th placed Jack Le Brocq. Critically, Mostert is confident knowing the speed is there in his car.
"Darwin was a weekend of 'what ifs' — but the speed we showed throughout proves the Supra has what it takes to run at the front," Mostert continued.
"I'm proud of how the team kept fighting through every setback, and I know we'll come back stronger.
"The pace is there. We just need the results to match it.”
Tickford Racing managed to jump Walkinshaw TWG Racing in the teams' championship on Sunday, with Mostert losing at least 73 points with the DNF. The margin between the two teams is 55 points.
Track action commences in Townsville on Friday July 10.
