Chaz Mostert and Fabian Coulthard have claimed a memorable victory in the AirTouch 500 at The Bend, overcoming a rain-affected 500-kilometre race to score a dominant 18-second win from 11th on the grid.
The result marked Mostert’s first victory in a 500-kilometre Supercars enduro, while Coulthard returned to the top step of the podium for the first time since 2020 – coincidentally also at The Bend.
The #1 Mobil 1 Optus Toyota kept clear of much of the drama during a wild opening half of the race before Mostert and Coulthard came alive in the second half. Mostert’s pace proved decisive once conditions began to stabilise, allowing the reigning champion to pull clear of the field and secure a commanding victory.
Kai Allen and Tim Slade finished second for Penrite Racing, while Walkinshaw TWG Racing completed a remarkable turnaround with Ryan Wood and Jaxon Evans charging from 14th to third.
The result was made all the more impressive given the weekend’s qualifying order. Anton De Pasquale initially claimed provisional pole by just 0.006 seconds over Matt Payne, with Kai Allen third and championship leader Broc Feeney fourth.
Three rookies – Zach Bates, Jayden Ojeda and Jobe Stewart – also earned places in the Top Ten Shootout.
It was Brodie Kostecki who ultimately delivered the standout lap, scorching to his seventh pole position of the season in the Shootout.
Matt Payne was second, ahead of Cam Waters and De Pasquale, giving Ford a lockout of the top three starting positions despite the manufacturer not leading a session across the weekend prior to the Shootout.
From there, the race quickly descended into a strategic battle, with changing conditions forcing teams to carefully judge the switch from wet to dry tyres.
Erebus Motorsport gambled early on slicks, while Walkinshaw TWG Racing’s decision to switch later ultimately helped Wood and Evans fight their way into podium contention.
The championship picture also shifted dramatically.
Payne avoided a late clash with Ojeda to move ahead of Feeney, who saw his race unravel after co-driver Nick Percat was caught in a clash.
Payne now leads Feeney by 120 points heading into the next round, with the top eight already locked into the Finals Series.
Attention next turns to the sport’s biggest stage, with the Repco Bathurst 1000 next on the calendar from 8–11 October.Chaz Mostert and Fabian Coulthard have claimed a memorable victory in the AirTouch 500 at The Bend, overcoming a rain-affected 500-kilometre race to score a dominant 18-second win from 11th on the grid.
The result marked Mostert’s first victory in a 500-kilometre Supercars enduro, while Coulthard returned to the top step of the podium for the first time since 2020 – coincidentally also at The Bend.
The #1 Mobil 1 Optus Toyota kept clear of much of the drama during a wild opening half of the race before Mostert and Coulthard came alive in the second half. Mostert’s pace proved decisive once conditions began to stabilise, allowing the reigning champion to pull clear of the field and secure a commanding victory.
Kai Allen and Tim Slade finished second for Penrite Racing, while Walkinshaw TWG Racing completed a remarkable turnaround with Ryan Wood and Jaxon Evans charging from 14th to third.
The result was made all the more impressive given the weekend’s qualifying order. Anton De Pasquale initially claimed provisional pole by just 0.006 seconds over Matt Payne, with Kai Allen third and championship leader Broc Feeney fourth.
Three rookies – Zach Bates, Jayden Ojeda and Jobe Stewart – also earned places in the Top Ten Shootout.
It was Brodie Kostecki who ultimately delivered the standout lap, scorching to his seventh pole position of the season in the Shootout.
Matt Payne was second, ahead of Cam Waters and De Pasquale, giving Ford a lockout of the top three starting positions despite the manufacturer not leading a session across the weekend prior to the Shootout.
From there, the race quickly descended into a strategic battle, with changing conditions forcing teams to carefully judge the switch from wet to dry tyres.
Erebus Motorsport gambled early on slicks, while Walkinshaw TWG Racing’s decision to switch later ultimately helped Wood and Evans fight their way into podium contention.
The championship picture also shifted dramatically.
Payne avoided a late clash with Ojeda to move ahead of Feeney, who saw his race unravel after co-driver Nick Percat was caught in a clash.
Payne now leads Feeney by 120 points heading into the next round, with the top eight already locked into the Finals Series.
Attention next turns to the sport’s biggest stage, with the Repco Bathurst 1000 next on the calendar from 8–11 October.
