Matt Payne and Penrite Racing look very strong, but Broc Feeney and Triple Eight have burst back to life.
Perth was a big weekend for many drivers and teams, while others were quiet. Five different drivers stood on the podium, while all three races had passed for the lead. How about that!
However, there were still errors in pit lane and with cars for leading teams, which could become bigger stories down the line should they happen in enduros or Finals races.
Catch below the key stories for each team leaving the weekend's event, listed in pit lane order.
Penrite Racing
Matt Payne was magnificent, and was shocked at surviving with tyre and wheel damage. There are still chinks, with Payne losing on Saturday and falling back in Sunday’s Shootout. Kai Allen had a power steering issue in qualifying, and also dodged disqualification over an alleged technical breach. Quite the rollercoaster!
Red Bull Ampol Racing
Broc Feeney got back amongst the poles and wins. Sunday’s result didn’t sit well with boss Jamie Whincup, who lashed strategy “errors.” Whincup also wants more from the #888, with Will Brown penalisd over a clash with Rylan Gray after starting 19th.
Tickford Racing
Tickford Racing’s two Mustangs were poor on the Super Soft, while the Safety Car saved Cam Waters after a slow stop in Saturday’s opener. Thomas Randle continues to slash the margin to Finals, but was lucky to survive a hairy moment on Saturday.
Walkinshaw TWG Racing
Chaz Mostert was arguably best of the rest, finishing sixth for the round, and just 15 points behind third. In two rounds, Mostert has turned a 51-point gap to safety into a whopping 228 points. A sterling Saturday podium got Ryan Wood back into the fight, before he dropped straight back out with the team’s latest technical heartbreaker. Credit to CEO Bruce Stewart for quickly putting his hand up on behalf of the team.
Team 18
Team 18 jumped DJR, with Anton De Pasquale again an underrated standout. De Pasquale claimed two podiums on a brilliant weekend, while David Reynolds made Sunday’s Shootout. Super Soft pace — or lack thereof — is still a concern.
Shell V-Power Racing Team
It wasn’t the hometown weekend Brodie Kostecki wanted, with a Saturday clash with Allen followed by Sunday fuel flow issues, which forced a third stop and killed his Sprint Cup hopes. Kostecki was still optimistic about his speed, even if the results didn’t show for much. Rookie Gray was fast, standing tall on Saturday, but being hit off the road by Brown was a kick in the guts.
Matt Stone Racing
Jack Le Brocq had electrical gremlins from the start of the weekend, and yet, he managed to hang onto 10th in the points. He survived a big off at Turn 7, filling his Sherrin Rentals Camaro with sand. Zach Bates had a shocker, though, attracting penalties.
Brad Jones Racing
Andre Heimgartner starred on Saturday, and was seventh for the round. Beyond that, it was tough. Macauley Jones had a freak incident involving debris from Allen’s car, which dislodged itself in the #96 Toyota.
Blanchard Racing Team
Involved in Saturday’s race-changing incident, Aaron Cameron needed to be more than a headline for at least a day. Come Sunday, he was awesome, bouncing back with a top 10. James Golding is hanging onto the top 10, but a wheel gun issue on Sunday could have prevented him getting straight back in.
PremiAir Racing
Jayden Ojeda fought brake problems on Saturday, but returned with a great drive on Sunday to the top 10. Finals are still in the equation, even if the Sydney-born driver isn’t holding his breath. Declan Fraser also moved forward on Sunday.
Erebus Motorsport
Cooper Murray and Jobe Stewart were 17th and 20th for the round. The going is still tough, and results aren’t coming as fast as hoped. CEO Barry Ryan was happy with a “team effort,” notably praising the pit stops.
Objective Racing
The good thing for Jackson Walls is the next stop on the calendar is a good one — Ipswich’s Queensland Raceway, where he claimed his maiden Super2 win last year.
