KOSTECKI’S CLEAN SWEEP STRENGTHENS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD

Brodie Kostecki led from the front at the OTR The Bend Supersprint. The Coca Cola Racing by Erebus driver claimed all three races across the weekend as his title rivals experienced mixed fortunes.

With the Championship focus switching into Endurance mode for the proceeding races at Sandown and Bathurst, the OTR Supersprint may well prove to be a pivotal moment in the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship.

All the talk prior to newly named Shell V-Power Motorsport Park had centred upon Shane van Gisbergen’s departure to NASCAR at the end of the current season and the potential upheaval in the local driver market.

The rumours of a Will Brown move to Red Bull Ampol Racing were finally substantiated, with Jack Le Brocq confirmed alongside Kostecki at Coca Cola Racing by Erebus for 2024.

While Shane van Gisbergen faced the local media having just added a second top 10 finish to his NASCAR Cup Series resume and Brown fielded questions on his future move,Kostecki may well have slipped under the media radar with his 22nd place finish on debut in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Whatever the cause or effect, Brodie Kostecki qualified on the front row for races 20-22 in the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship.

Race 20 – Kostecki passes Ford duo to win, Brown taken out

Brodie Kostecki steered well clear of the opening lap dramas to take out the opening race of the round. Chaz Mostert finished second and Thomas Randle third in what appeared to be an upturn of fortunes for the Ford Mustang teams.

Randle and Mostert had the better starts to lead Kostecki and Shane van Gisbergen through Turn 1. Any chance for the championship leader to respond was temporarily snuffed out by a multi-car collision that took out Will Brown, Cameron Hill and Jack Smith. Mark Winterbottom was stuck between Brown and Hill after the initial impacts but found a clear passage past the incident when Smith crashed into the Truck Equip Camaro.

Replays showed contact from Le Brocq on Brown was just one of many bumps that had contributed to what the race stewards deemed to be a racing incident.

Randle continued to lead when racing resumed on Lap 5, with Mostert, Kostecki, van Gisbergen and Waters in close pursuit. Kostecki displaced Mostert for second on Lap 7 and took the lead at the penultimate corner on Lap 11.

From there Kostecki controlled the race in a manner fitting of a championship leader.

Randle and Mostert peeled into the pit lane almost immediately in an attempt to undercut the #99 Camaro. The pair returned to the track in that order with their first lap somewhat compromised by their fight for position.

Kostecki stopped a lap later and emerged from the pits with the effective lead of the race. A few hectic moments on cold tyres saw Mostert feed Randle wide at Turn 6, which gave Kostecki some precious breathing space.

From there the order remained the same to the chequered flag. Kostecki took the win from Mostert and Randle. It was Thomas’ first solo Supercars podium finish.

Waters, van Gisbergen, Feeney, Payne, Courtney, Davison and Heimgartner completed the top 10.

Race 21 – Kostecki outlasts Randle in Race 21

Brodie Kostecki made it two-from-two in Race 21, taking control of the race on the run to the opening corner. Thomas Randle had started from pole position, but like Kostecki the day before, was unable to take advantage of his pole position on the dirtier side of the circuit.

Kostecki swept around the outside of Randle to take the lead at Turn 1. Randle held second from van Gisbergen and Payne, while another fast start for Mostert was thwarted this time by the Penrite Racing Mustang just ahead.

The field safely negotiated the opening series of corners only for the midfield to come unstuck on the approach to Turn 6. Jack Le Brocq had locked a left front wheel and slid into the side of Cameron Waters, who did likewise to Will Davison outside him. The trio then spun across the middle of the track just ahead of a congested midfield. Jack Smith barely avoided another front end impact in his BJR Camaro, though all four made it back on circuit.

Waters dropped out of contention as repairs were made to the Monster Energy Mustang, while Le Brocq was judged at fault and served a pitlane penalty for the infringement.

Randle was once again amongst the early stoppers on lap 9, while Kostecki, Payne and Mostert stayed out until Lap 11 for the race leader.

From there Kostecki remained in charge of the race, taking the win from Randle by just over a second. Mostert caught and passed Reynolds  for third late in the race, to repeat the same three names on the podium.

Behind the leading quartet were van Gisbergen, who had been battling a steering sensitivity issue all weekend, Payne, De Pasquale, Fullwood, Feeney and Heimgartner.

Race 22 – Kostecki denies Waters to take Bend sweep

Brodie Kostecki once again started from pole position with a Tickford Racing Mustang alongside. This time it was Cameron Waters on the front row, ahead of another tow Ford Mustangs of Randle and Nick Percat on Row 2.

As the lights went out it was Kostecki who jumped first as Waters appeared to falter. The Monster Energy Mustang dropped to fourth behind Percat and Randle on the run to Turn 1.

In the third and final race of the weekend the drama shifted from the track to the pitlane with issues for the Penriite Racing Mustang of Matthew Payne, The Middy’s Racing Camaro and the Red Bull Ampol Racing Camaro of Shane van Gisbergen.

The Penrite Racing Mustang had a lengthy compulsory stop after a wheel nut jammed, while the BJR entry was adjudged to have broken the pitlane speed limit. The #97 was released from its stop with the wheel gun still attached to the right rear wheel.

David Reynolds provided the major on-track action with a side-by-side contact on Broc Feeney that saw the #88 off the track and through the gravel at Turn 18.

Waters remained with a second of the leader throughout the final portion of the race, though Kostecki remained in control to take his third win for the weekend. Waters gained a much needed podium ahead of teammate Randle.

Percat, van Gisbergen, Davison, De Pasquale, Courtney, Mostert and Le Brocq rounded out the top 10.

“An awesome effort by everyone at Coca Cola Racing by Erebus,” Kosteci told Fox Sports.

“It was just a fantastic weekend. All the effort that has gone into this year is really starting to pay off. The car has been lightning quick all weekend.”

“Glad to take away the clean sweep, it is the first for both me and the team, so that’s awesome!”

The Supercars Championship now heads into the Endurance season with the Sandown 500 15-17th Sept and the Bathurst 1000 5-8 October and Velocity Magazine will have our team at both events.

Photos: Supercars & Erebus

SUBSCRIBE TO VELOCITY MAGAZINE 

For all our news keep your eyes peeled on the Velocity Magazine website and social media, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for our daily updates and to get the latest edition of our glossy magazine subscribe here from just $55 for 12 months subscription.

GET OUR LATEST ISSUE NUMBER 48 HERE