'A lot of work to do': Triple Eight's frank admission after wrangling points lead

A quick glance at the points table in both the drivers and teams championships and you'd be mistaken for thinking Triple Eight and Broc Feeney have picked up where they left off in 2025. After all, they lead the way in both points standings.

However, they have been made to work for it. For Feeney, he has had to contend with Brodie Kostecki and Matt Payne in sublime form, whilst Penrite Racing have emerged as a serious contender to Red Bull Ampol Racing's crown.

Yet, despite Kostecki in particular going on tear to start the season, Feeney has emerged at the top of the pile as a model of consistency, finishing inside the top 10 every time he's seen the chequered flag this season.

Putting an exclamation mark on his consistency, Feeney secured his first Jason Richards Memorial Trophy at the conclusion of the ITM New Zealand Double Header, despite Kostecki and Payne winning two races apiece in the six-race swing.

"We felt like we were the fourth or fifth-fastest car this weekend, there was [Ryan] Woody, Brodie, and the two Penrite cars," said Feeney in Christchurch after sealing the JR Trophy.

"Especially on Friday and Saturday, they were a league above the rest. To get a second yesterday and a third today, and being in the mix, Matt was probably in a different league to the rest of us.

"I felt like we had similar pace to Kai for that one, but to be the most consistent over two rounds with what we felt like definitely wasn't the fastest car is great."

Self-admittedly, both Feeney and 2024 championship-winning teammate Will Brown are still getting to grips with their Ford Mustangs, as are engineers Martin Short (Feeney), and Andrew Edwards (Brown).

That came as part of Ford's move to bring Triple Eight back to the blue side of the divide for the first time since 2009, with Triple Eight also taking homologation duties off Dick Johnson Racing.

Whilst that has been a large factor in allowing Kostecki to come out all guns blazing, it's also allowed Triple Eight to refine the package into one that has dominated the season to date.

Feeney admitted that Penrite in particular had made Triple Eight 'look pretty silly' in Christchurch, but is positive that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

"We've got a lot of work to do. Obviously we're stoked to win the JR Trophy and get the points lead back, but pace wise we've got a fair bit to find," continued the 23-year-old.

"We're learning, we've made big inroads, if we raced for another week we might get there by the end. I think we made another step today.

"We're just learning. It's not going to be easy, you're going to have your ups and downs, and we knew that at the start of the year, but to win overall on two rough weekends is pretty awesome."

Feeney's start to the season has impressed many, with 2015 champion Mark Winterbottom declaring the reigning Sprint Cup winner as the grid's 'smartest' driver by virtue of staying away from trouble on-track.

That has included with rival Ryan Wood, who was on track to clinch the JR Trophy, only for an engine failure in the dying laps of the Christchurch to cruelly deny him. Feeney was complimentary of the Kiwi after learning of his plight, with the pair having a brief but respectful exchange in the paddock afterwards.

A lot of that could be put down to the learning process involved in developing their new Fords, which Feeney feels as though is starting to turn a corner, even if they aren't the ultimate pace benchmark.

"It's just understanding the tools, obviously we'd run the GM for three or four years, and me and Marty felt like we knew it like the back of our hand, what tools we were going to use with it.

"So for us now it's learning, and different things are reacting. We rolled out in Sydney and we were like, 'Oh man we've got a hand on this thing,' and we had so much speed.

"And then the Grand Prix and the two New Zealand rounds we probably struggled with the same things. I think we fixed a fair bit of that yesterday afternoon and for today's race, but still have a bit to find.

"It's just understanding what tools we need to use, and look two podiums is a great result, but there's a couple of fast Penrite cars we need to chase down."

The battle for the Repco Sprint Cup resumes at the Tyrepower Tasmania Super 440 from May 22-24.