Chaz Mostert has snapped Ford’s winless start to the season, claiming victory in a tense race at the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint.
The books will show a pole-to-win performance for Mostert, but it was anything but for the two-time Bathurst winner, who helped Walkinshaw Andretti United to its first win as a Ford team.
Mostert lost the lead to rookie teammate Ryan Wood off the line, and braved a bold strategy call by WAU to ultimately lead home championship leader Will Brown.
Brown, having taken on four tyres at his stop, was forced to overtake Wood, who was denied a maiden Supercars podium by Cam Waters following a last-lap overtake.
With Broc Feeney fifth, Brown extended his lead from 71 to 103 points heading into Sunday.
WAU, meanwhile, powered from fifth to second in the teams’ standings, with Mostert 189 points behind Brown, who also scored fastest lap bonus points.
For Mostert, it was career victory No. 22, and his first since the 2022 Adelaide 500.
There was drama before the race began, with Jack Le Brocq forced to start from pit lane after a battery issue left the #9 BIC Chevrolet stranded on the grid.
Wood got a marginally stronger jump, and rounded Mostert up around the first corner. Behind them, a three-wide between Nick Percat, Matt Payne and Brodie Kostecki saw the latter sent into the sand trap.
Kostecki ran long and stopped on the final lap, and was classified 22nd. Percat and Payne, meanwhile, raced to seventh and eighth.
At the end of the first lap, Wood led Mostert, Waters, Brown and Feeney, with James Courtney and Payne just behind.
Just three laps into the race, a suspected fuel pump issue caused Richie Stanaway’s car to cough coming out of the final corner, with Aaron Love sending the Penrite Mustang into the outside wall.
Stanaway spun in front of the field, and returned his car — carrying front and rear damage — to the garage. Grove Racing mechanics returned the Kiwi to race, albeit nine laps down. Stanaway was classified 24th and last, and dropped from fourth to seventh in the points.
Mostert haunted the rear of his teammate’s Ford, with the margin just 0.4s on lap 13. Over the radio, WAU reported to both drivers not to race each other. On the following lap, Wood duly side-stepped at Turn 7, allowing Mostert to complete a clean overtake to reclaim the lead.
Mostert quickly set about opening up a lead, which crossed 0.9s by lap 22. Wood opened up a 1.2s margin on Waters, with Brown and Feeney keeping up with the leading Fords, Behind them, Cameron Hill moved past Courtney and Payne into sixth.
Thomas Randle was the first car to make his stop, with the Castrol Ford pitting from 13th. Brown, who was challenging Waters, came in on lap 26 and took on four tyres. Wood stopped on the next lap, but only had his left side tyres changed.
Feeney took four tyres on lap 28, and emerged line astern with Courtney, with the Triple Eight driver forced to baulk and slot in behind.
Mostert was serviced for left side tyres only, and emerged ahead of Wood. Behind them, Brown was looking speedy, and claimed track position over Waters, who took four tyres.
Once Andre Heimgartner stopped on lap 36, Mostert retained the lead by 3.1s over Wood, who had Brown and Waters hunting him down. Feeney cleared Courtney, with the top three covered by 4.1s.
Brown caught Wood on lap 38, with the Kiwi defending sternly. On the following lap, Brown got down the inside out of Turn 6, with Wood dropping two wheels onto the grass down the back straight.
However, while Brown got past, Wood’s defence did the trick for Mostert, with the lead opening up to 5.2s. Fighting Wood ultimately dented Brown’s chances, with Mostert managing the margin.
As Mostert raced away to victory by 4.9134s, Waters got down the inside of Wood, with the Tickford Mustang straddling the exit kerb on the run to the line.
Practice, qualifying and Race 10 of the Repco Supercars Championship will be held at Carco Raceway tomorrow.