The biggest charges through the field in 2023

The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship was a big year for comebacks, with several drivers making massive charges through the field.

In the 28 races across 12 rounds, there were 38 individual instances of a driver gaining 10 or more positions in a race.

It happened at least once at all 12 rounds, with a season-high 11 instances at the Beaurepaires Melbourne SuperSprint at Albert Park.

The Grand Prix event, with its unique mixed tyre format and short races, also produced nine instances in 2022.

Of the 25 full-time drivers that raced in 2023, 23 gained 10 or spots in a race at least once. Mark Winterbottom and Bryce Fullwood were the biggest movers, with four 10-plus gains.

Winterbottom was a big mover in 250km races, gaining 13 spots in Townsville (20th to seventh) and 10 spots in Newcastle (16th to sixth), Townsville (21st to 11th) and Adelaide (21st to 11th).

Fullwood missed out on a podium twice in heartbreaking fashion at Albert Park, yet still managed to race through the field in the year’s shortest races.

The BJR driver went from 24th to 11th and 20th to seventh at Albert Park. He also excelled in the year’s longest races alongside Dean Fiore, racing from 25th to 14th at Sandown and 21st to seventh in Bathurst.

Winterbottom, Fullwood (four each), Shane van Gisbergen (three), David Reynolds, Todd Hazelwood, Andre Heimgartner and Cam Waters (two) were the only drivers to pull off more than one 10-plus race.

Notably, Waters' run from 25th to 12th in Darwin came a day after his Monster Ford went up in flames while in the lead!

The single biggest positional gain in a race was van Gisbergen’s mega run from 25th to fifth in Townsville. He also pulled off the biggest jump in 2022, from 23rd to third at Albert Park.

Van Gisbergen started from the back for the Townsville finale after a shocking qualifying run, and was also spun around on the first lap. He benefited from a smart strategy and car pace to fight back, and was fourth before handing the place to teammate Broc Feeney.

Reynolds jumped from 24th to eighth in the Albert Park finale, while van Gisbergen/Richie Stanaway raced from 19th to third at Sandown.

The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship will commence at Mount Panorama at the Thrifty Bathurst 500 on February 23-25.

Biggest position gains in a race in 2023