On paper, it may appear a regular start-to-finish victory Supercars fans have become accustomed to by Broc Feeney, but this one proved tough in the heat of Sydney for the co-championship leader.
A cool suit failure demonstrated the title favourite’s mental fortitude as he withstood changeable conditions and a mid-race safety car to snare his second victory for the round.
The Red Bull Ampol Racing driver was forced to hold off Kai Allen for much of the race’s duration, but the Penrite Racing Mustang dropped out within the final 10 laps when a problem emerged with the front-left wheel.
This handed second to his teammate Matt Payne, who is now the joint leader of the championship alongside Feeney.
Cam Waters stormed through the field to take third in the Monster Castrol Racing Mustang to complete the second Ford lockout of the podium at Round 1.
Feeney and Allen battled immediately from the start, as others behind gained crucial early positions such as Brodie Kostecki, Ryan Wood and Waters.
Kostecki moved inside the top 10 after qualifying 11th, Wood was up six positions from 12th and Waters replicated this from 20th.
There was an awkward scrap on lap 2 when David Reynolds and Cam Hill were rotated at Turn 6 when a tight battle ended badly for the duo.
Reynolds was eased wide by rookie Jobe Stewart at Turn 5 leading to Macauley Jones, Rylan Gray and Hill trying to take advantage at the next corner.
Jones, Stewart and Reynolds were three-wide, with the latter spinning, while Gray clattered into Hill and to receive a 15s penalty for this action.
The race calmed down until the first round of pit stops took place starting with Payne on lap 12, but Feeney had dramas when a piece of plastic wrapping was lodged in his air duct forcing his Mustang to start overheating.
This was removed and Feeney maintained the lead, but rain was on the horizon pto provide another strategy dilemma for the teams.
Erebus Motorsport’s dirty weekend continued when Cooper Murray’s starter motor went on the formation lap and Stewart’s race was delayed by a cut tyre due to a loose wheel hitting the brake disc.
James Golding was next to fall as his rear-left-wheel fell off at Turn 9 and crossed the path of the circuit at the final corner narrowly avoiding other competitors.
Golding did return to the pits, but the safety car period brought on by his problem delayed him further as his Mustang was moved out of the way to service teammate Aaron Cameron.
Cameron wasn’t the only driver to pit as the whole field completed service for a long-stint to the end.
There was drama at the restart when Feeney and Allen went side-by-side through Turn 1 as the Penrite Racing Mustang successfully took the lead exiting Turn 2. A mistake at Turn 8 opened the door for Feeney to retake the lead after Allen ran wide.
Behind the battle for the lead, Anton De Pasquale was spun at Turn 4 by Will Brown leading to a 15s penalty for the 2024 Supercars Championship winner despite being hit into a spin by the out of control Dewalt Racing Camaro.
Allen was heating up the battle at the front by tapping Feeney, but this was short-lived when the Penrite Racing Mustang’s steering failed forcing it into retirement.
This left Feeney to take one of his toughest victories after his cool suit failed, with Payne and Waters charging to the podium.
Fourth across the line was Kostecki after a clash with Cameron at Turn 2, which earnt him a 15s penalty leading to 12th once it was applied. Cameron was 17th.
This elevated the two Walkinshaw TWG Racing Toyota Supras of Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood to the top five.
Jack Le Brocq was sixth for Matt Stone Racing from Hill in a remarkable comeback, Monster Castrol Racing’s Thomas Randle, the R&J Batteries Racing Supra of Andre Heimgartner and Macauley Jones to make it all five Toyotas in the top 10.
Rookie Gray just missed out on a top 10 spot to lead teammate Kostecki, Zach Bates, Jackson Walls, a recovering De Pasquale, Reynolds, Cameron and Brown was 18th.
The scorching conditions proved tough for some drivers as Feeney was joined by teammate Brown and veteran Reynolds in receiving medical attention post-race.
Next up for the Repco Supercars Championship is the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix at Albert Park on March 5-8.