The Repco Supercars Championship heads west for the penultimate round of the Repco Sprint Cup at the Bosch Power Tools Perth Super 440.
From the concrete canyon of Townsville, teams and drivers head to one of the true old-school bullrings on the calendar, which brought up 100 Supercars races last year.
There have plenty of heated moments in Perth over the years, and with the race for Finals only getting tighter, there's plenty of potential for fireworks.
Perth represents a golden opportunity for some to find form at a happy hunting ground, others to rediscover form at a crucial juncture, whilst the battle for the back end of the top 10 is also tightening.
Ahead of cars hitting Motormall Wanneroo Raceway on Friday, Supercars.com makes five bold predictions for the weekend ahead.
Wood back on the top step
Walkinshaw TWG Racing have arguably been the team to beat in Perth over the last two years, with both Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood winning races. It was the Kiwi who stepped up last year, claiming an emotional maiden win to open the weekend, and if it wasn't for a failure while leading the second race, it would've been two wins in a single day. We tip he can back it up, this time in a Toyota, for his first win since Taupō in April, ending a 13-race winless streak.
Golding jumps back into Finals bubble
There seems to be an element of calm around James Golding and the Blanchard Racing Team despite dropping out of the Finals bubble in Townsville. While he hasn't had a top 10 finish since the Christchurch finale, Townsville saw one lap speed return to the #7 Ford. It was a car that claimed BRT's first-ever podium finish in Perth last year with James Courtney, and with history and returning speed on their side, we project he can jump back inside the top 10.
Ojeda, Randle close to within 100 points of Finals bubble
The race a little bit further beyond the top 10 is also heating up, with Jayden Ojeda and Thomas Randle both closing in on the bubble. Ojeda sits just 131 points back in 12th, having gained 65 points in the last three events, whilst Randle gained 74 in just one weekend at Townsville to bounce back from missing a race in Darwin. Both are on promising trajectories, and it should only leave them stronger placed come the end of Perth.
Feeney sends Sprint Cup down to the wire
Through all the noise surrounding Triple Eight's uncharacteristic run of late, Broc Feeney is still second in the championship. 92 points is a comfortable gap for Matt Payne, however Feeney is a three-time winner in Perth, whilst Payne is yet to win in the West. If Feeney can close to within 50 points of Payne heading into the finale at Queensland Raceway, Triple Eight's home test track, then anything is possible.
Bates secures breakthrough podium
This one is going out on a limb, but a return to Perth brings happy memories for Zach Bates. In 2024, he claimed his first Super2 race and round wins, results that kickstarted what was ultimately a title-winning season. Whilst his qualifying has been impressive this year, inexperience has seen him be knocked around in races. However, with Chevrolet starting to find improvements across all of their cars, we tip that the rookie can secure a trophy.
The views in this article do not necessarily express the opinions of Supercars, teams or drivers.
