Broc Feeney took a clinical lights-to-flag victory to open the MSS Security Melbourne SuperSprint at Albert Park, but he had to avoid some wandering ducks to do it.
Although there was one casualty, with Feeney hitting a duck at the exit of the Turn 11/12 chicane, he managed to secure a vital victory as title leader Cameron Waters was forced to scythe his way through the field.
Feeney was untroubled except for a dirty windscreen in leading a Red Bull Ampol Racing 1-2, with Will Brown holding off a late challenge from Matt Stone Racing’s Cam Hill, who scored his maiden Repco Supercars Championship podium.
Hill had to fend off former teammate Jack Le Brocq through the opening corner, but the latter was spun approaching the conclusion of the event.
It was back in the pack where the action was, which left Kai Allen, Aaron Cameron and Macauley Jones going off in seperate incidents.
Allen was spun entering the front straight as Cameron and Jones left the circuit at Turn 3 leading to the race being neutralised due to the Blanchard Racing Team rookie’s Mustang becoming beached in the gravel trap.
The safety car only gave the field the rest before combat resumed, with Ryan Wood taking the most advantage by overtaking both Chaz Mostert and Richie Stanaway at Turn 3 as the New Zelaander also added Le Brocq as a scalp when contact from Brodie Kostecki spun the Erebus Motorsport Camaro.
Stanaway wasn’t done and bought teammate James Golding with him, lunging at Wood at Turn 5. Golding charged through on Mostert and Stanaway before hitting a tyre bundle to undo his work in addition to hurting the PremiAir Nulon Racing sister entry as well.
However, Stanaway spun following side-to-side contact with Mostert and Cooper Murray leaving the New Zealander 19th, while Golding entered the pits to repair damage.
The penultimate lap provided more action when Murray and Nick Percat made contact, resulting in the former being rotated.
Feeney took the win from Brown, Hill, Kostecki and a charging Wood.
Waters clawed his way from 22nd to sixth ahead of Anton De Pasquale, Thomas Randle, Matt Payne and Mostert completed the top 10.
Continuing to hold a 40-point margin at the top of the table, Waters will be aiming to regain some gap tomorrow from a more favourable starting position.
Race 5 of the Repco Supercars Championship at the MSS Security Melbourne SuperSprint is scheduled for 2:50pm AEDT tomorrow.