Brodie Kostecki Clinches 2023 Supercars Title in Adelaide Showdown

Brodie Kostecki secures his maiden Supercars Championship in a thrilling Adelaide showdown. A season of dominance with six wins, 10 poles, and 18 podium finishes marks a historic title victory for Erebus Motorsport.
Edge Photographics
Edge Photographics

The roar of engines, the scent of burning rubber, and a city pulsating with atmosphere set the scenes as Brodie Kostecki, at just 26, claimed his inaugural Supercars Championship title for Erebus Motorsport in front of tens of thousands of excited fans in Adelaide.

Piloting the #99 Coco-Cola Camaro this year Kostecki has seen an impressive run of wins all culminating in a heart-stopping burnout which almost saw the championship trophy take flight,  followed by raising the trophy atop his car in victory lane,  You could see the moment that it all sunk in that Brodie had secured his maiden championship and the team’s championship for Erebus.

The 2023 season was a testament to Kostecki’s skill, boasting six remarkable victories, capturing his maiden ARMOR ALL Pole Award with a staggering 10 pole positions, and clinching 18 podium finishes out of 28 fiercely contested races.

It wasn’t just Kostecki shining in the spotlight—his Coca-Cola Racing team, led by the visionary Betty Klimenko, secured their inaugural Team’s Championship. Kostecki, alongside his outgoing teammate Will Brown, drove their Chevrolet Camaros to a season of unprecedented success, the team consistently proved that they were the team to beat.

However, amidst Kostecki’s triumph, the last race of the season belonged to another rising star—Matt Payne of Penrite Ford Mustang. The rookie dominated the final race of the season, the VAILO Adelaide 500, starting strong from the front row alongside Kostecki and maintaining an unyielding lead across 78 laps and 250 exhilarating kilometres, making Paynet the 10th different winner of 2023.

Adelaide once again became the stage for rookie glory, when Payne finished 8 seconds ahead of  Red Bull Ampol Racing’s Broc Feeney who secured his first victory in the corresponding race back in 2022.

As the engines dulled and the fans left the track, it closed out the 2023 Supercars season, possibly the most controversial season in recent memory with parity dramas and reliability issues at the forefront of most discussions. It seems to have concluded on a positive note, with the Ford Mustang appearing to be back in competitive form and the promise of off-season testing.

The end of the season also brought significant shifts, with drivers changing teams. Tim Edwards made the move from Tickford to become the Head of Motorsport. Additionally, a legend left the category, with three-time Bathurst Winner Shane van Gisbergen making the move to the US, looking to pursue a career in NASCAR after his sensational victory earlier in the year

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Owen George

Editor & Chief of Gold Coast Magazine is a lover of great coffee and sharing the stories of the people, places, and events that make the Gold Coast such a great city