In an electrifying race at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500, Will Brown emerged victorious, narrowly beating his Red Bull Camaro teammate Broc Feeney. The win marked a significant milestone for Brown, who, alongside Scott Pye, secured his first-ever Supercars endurance race triumph.
The dynamic Red Bull Ampol Racing duo delivered a one-two finish after a tense battle, with Feeney & Brown colliding following a pit stop miscue. The pair managed to recover and maintain their lead, delivering Triple Eight Race Engineering its ninth victory in the prestigious Sandown 500 endurance event.
A Maiden Podium for PremiAir Racing and Close Calls
Behind the Red Bull teammates, James Golding and David Russell made history by clinching PremiAir Nulon Racing’s first-ever Supercars podium. Golding held off a fierce charge from Matt Payne, finishing just 0.3941 seconds ahead of the Kiwi driver. Payne, alongside co-driver Garth Tander, had to settle for fourth place, followed by Triple Eight wildcard pair Cooper Murray and Craig Lowndes in fifth.
In sixth place were Cam Waters and James Moffat, while Chaz Mostert and Lee Holdsworth rounded out the top seven. Mostert, a top contender in the championship, managed to salvage valuable points despite an early spin by Holdsworth, keeping him within reach of Brown.
Race Drama and Safety Cars
The race was far from straightforward, with three Safety Car periods and a Full Course Yellow adding to the tension. A key restart on lap 95 saw Brown pull ahead, while Feeney fiercely defended his position from Golding. Waters, meanwhile, capitalised on the chaos, overtaking Payne for fourth at Turn 1.
Late-race Safety Cars kept the pack bunched together, setting up a nail-biting finish. In the closing moments, the top five drivers pushed their cars to the limit, recording their fastest laps on lap 152. Feeney eventually backed off, allowing Brown to secure his first win since April in New Zealand, much to the delight of the 63,418 fans celebrating Sandown’s 60th anniversary.
Post-Race Reflections
“God, what a race!” Brown exclaimed after the win. “Scott did a mega job, and I was nervous at the start when we lost the lead to the No. 88. The last few laps were nerve-wracking – I knew Broc would pounce if I made any mistakes. But it was awesome to come out on top.”
Brown’s victory not only marked his first endurance win but also extended his championship lead. He now sits 189 points ahead of Ford’s Chaz Mostert, with Feeney trailing by 222 points.
For Scott Pye, the victory was equally momentous, marking his second career win and his first since Albert Park in 2018.
Looking Ahead to Bathurst
With the Sandown 500 behind them, all eyes now turn to the iconic Repco Bathurst 1000, set for October 10-13. Nine drivers are still in mathematical contention for the championship, with 300 points on offer at Mount Panorama. Brown’s commanding lead puts him in a strong position, but with Bathurst’s notorious unpredictability, the title fight is far from over.
The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship continues to heat up, and fans won’t want to miss what’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting Bathurst 1000 races in recent history.
Tickets for the Repco Bathurst 1000 are on sale now.
