Mostert Closes Championship Gap to 13 Points in Rain-Hit Adelaide Race

Strategic Drive Sees Mostert Close In on Maiden Supercars Title

In a dramatic, rain-shortened opening race at the Adelaide Supercars grand final, Chaz Mostert of Walkinshaw Andretti United executed a brilliantly calculated drive to significantly close the gap in the championship standings. Despite finishing second to Dick Johnson Racing's Brodie Kostecki, Mostert's performance was a masterclass in points racing, slashing his deficit to series leader Broc Feeney to a mere 13 points.

Chaos and Consolation in Rain-Soaked Adelaide

The Friday sprint race was called early, red-flagged before the scheduled 32 laps could be completed due to torrential rain soaking the street circuit. The conditions created instant drama. Pole-sitter Broc Feeney, from Triple Eight Race Engineering, saw his lead vanish on lap three after locking up his tyres and running wide at turn four. This opened the door for Brodie Kostecki to seize the lead, a position he would not relinquish.

Mostert found himself in the lead momentarily but chose not to risk a potentially race-ending move against Kostecki. With two crucial races remaining over the weekend, the Walkinshaw Andretti United star prioritised his championship campaign over a single victory. His teammate, Ryan Wood, followed him home to secure a valuable third-place finish for the team, while a recovering Feeney had to settle for fourth.

The race was a disaster for reigning champion Will Brown, whose title defence suffered a massive blow. The Triple Eight driver was spun around on the very first lap by Thomas Randle, an incident that earned Randle a 15-second penalty. Brown could only recover to a distant ninth place. The race ended prematurely for Randle, who later crashed heavily into the wall at turn eight, dislodging a concrete barrier and bringing out the yellow flag.

Championship Picture Tightens After Dramatic Opener

Kostecki's victory, his third of the season, earned him a $50,000 prize, a welcome consolation after his early elimination in the first finals round on the Gold Coast. His fortune changed rapidly from a disappointing qualifying session, where he lost control of his Ford Mustang due to oil on the track from Brad Jones Racing’s Andre Heimgartner, who suffered an engine failure.

Other notable incidents included Tickford's Cam Waters receiving a 15-second penalty for spinning Erebus rookie Cooper Murray into the wall. Waters finished 12th, with Murray in 24th.

The results leave the championship battle intensely poised heading into the weekend's final two races. Grove Racing's Kai Allen remains in mathematical contention in fifth place overall after finishing fifth in the race.

Race 32 Results: