Triple Eight's firm response to title decider team orders question
No Triple Eight team orders for Adelaide title decider
Will Brown leads Broc Feeney by 180 points with 300 to win
Brown can clinch title if 151 points ahead on Saturday
"Short answer, no."
That was the firm response by Triple Eight owner Earl Evans when posed if the team would employ team orders at this weekend’s championship decider.
Will Brown and Broc Feeney will vie for the Repco Supercars Championship at this weekend’s VAILO Adelaide 500, with Brown in front by 180 points.
With a maximum of 300 points on offer, the numbers are on Brown’s side, but Feeney insists it’s not over until it’s over, despite admitting he is a long shot.
Triple Eight Race Engineering has already sewn up the teams’ championship, and it is guaranteed to have one of its drivers win the drivers’ title.
The teammates have proven they can race each other, famously battling for the win in Taupō. However, the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been in Adelaide, although both are free to race.
“Short answer, no,” Evans told media on Thursday.
"At the end of the day, you've got to go out and race, do what they've done all year.
"So, race, go out there, go as hard as you can, do what you've done all year, and at the end of the day, just don't crash into each other.
"That's the reality of it, and lets see what comes after the first race.”
At the very least, Feeney is determined to snap his winless streak, which dates back to June’s Darwin round. Brown, meanwhile, insists he can’t be conservative as he aims to clinch the title on Saturday.
"We’ve worked hard all year to be in the position we are in, so I’m very fortunate to be leading,” Brown said.
"But you can never get ahead of yourself in this game. We’ve just got to put our best foot forward and try to get some good results.
"I think it’s one of those things when you lead a championship. You’ve just got to take things as a normal weekend, even though it isn’t quite a normal weekend.
"We will be aiming to win a race or two down there, which is the main goal. I’ve had some really good runs in Adelaide, and I’ve had some bad runs there, but that’s pretty normal."
Brown and Feeney will fight for the 2024 Repco Supercars Championship at the VAILO Adelaide 500 from November 14-17. Tickets for the event are on sale now.
