V8 Supercars: Six drivers to watch during Perth Super 440
The grid had two practice sessions on Friday, ahead of the circuit reaching its 100th race on Sunday, and there was barely more than a second separating the fastest from the slowest.
Hometown hero Brodie Kostecki left his best for last on Friday but was slower than expected while some of the grid's younger racers strutted their stuff atop the time sheets.
Championship leader Broc Feeney showed his strong form and will be one of the drivers to watch.
Broc Feeney
Feeney enters the fifth round of the Championship with his first-ever driver's standings lead, having leapfrogged Red Bull teammate Will Brown with a tremendous weekend in Tasmania last month.
The 22-year-old was handed one of the toughest tasks in Australian motorsport when he entered the Supercars in 2022, replacing legend Jamie Whincup while also partnering Shane Van Gisbergen.
However, the youngster embraced the challenge, walking in his predecessor's shoes with a sixth-placed rookie season before being pipped at the post for the Championship last year by Brown.
He has also started in style in 2025, winning three races and claiming six podiums.
And he made a bright start in Perth, tiptoeing through the early laps while the field layed down rubber after the circuit was scoured by rain during the week, before putting the foot down to finish in the top five in both 30-minute practise sessions.
Will Brown
Fellow Red Bull racer Brown put the disappointment of Tasmania behind him on Friday, finding consistent pace to claim lap times inside the top 10.
However, those laps are unlikely to satisfy the reigning champion, who became the first driver in 40 years to podium at every round during his first year with Triple Eight.
Brown has been a regular inside the top five to start the season but has just one win among his six podiums and would love to knock Feeney back down to second with a win or two in Perth.
There is no doubt the 28-year-old from Toowoomba is the hunted this year and will be under intense pressure again in Wanneroo.
Brodie Kostecki
Hometown hero Kostecki will be hopeful that he can be the one applying the pressure as he adjusts to his new team.
Kostecki won the title in 2023, but a turbulent year off the track ruined his hopes last year before he made the switch to Dick Johnson Racing.
The 27-year-old has yet to break through in the Shell V-Power Mustang and looked to be on struggle street in first practice, finishing 21st.
The Ballajura product saved his best for last, recording his best two times on his last two laps, but could only go 18th fastest.
The increase in pace offers Kostecki hope, and he will be eager to fight towards the top of the grid in qualifying on Saturday.
Matthew Payne
A man who had no issues in practice was 22-year-old Kiwi Matthew Payne.
Payne has the weight of expectations on his shoulders, touted as the next big thing out of New Zealand after Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen.
But that weight did nothing to stop him in Perth on Friday, topping the second practice time charts.
The youngster has showed wisdom and patience beyond his years so far in 2025.
Chaz Mostert
Chaz Mostert was one of only a handful of drivers who found consistency during practice, going seventh and sixth fastest.
Consistency has been a feature of the 33-year-old's campaign to date, with the two-time Bathurst winner claiming one win.
However, he will be hoping to grab his first pole position of the season, with Perth always a friendly track for those at the front.
Should he fall into the middle of the pack, though, he has the skills and hunger to put on a show for the fans.
Cam Waters
Always a divisive driver, Cam Waters will undoubtedly put his Monster Energy car in the thick of the action as the weekend progresses.
He sits fourth in the championship hunt with three wins and having earned three pole positions.
Practise will have left the two-time Supercars runner-up and three-time Bathurst podium-finisher wanting, however.
He managed to crack the top 10 with the eighth fastest time in practice one but fell outside of the 10 in the eleventh the second time around.
But as he has shown this year already, qualifying is where his competitive juices flow strongest.
And if anyone needed a reminder of how well Waters can perform in the spotlight, just remember how he earned his start in 2011.
At just 17, he tackled Mount Panorama in a Kelly Racing Commodore with Grant Denyer as his prize for winning the inaugural Supercar Showdown TV series.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Perry's Phoenix fly in Aussie-strewn Hundred clash
A women's Hundred clash with a distinct Australian flavour has ended with Ellyse Perry's Birmingham Phoenix defeating Ash Gardner's Trent Rockets by 11 runs at Edgbaston. Perry reckoned she had enjoyed having breakfast with her five fellow Aussies - two teammates and three opponents - in Birmingham on Friday morning before the great allrounder put friendship aside to play a key role in the afternoon in steering her side to victory. Perry, who looked in sharp form after a month playing alongside her new colleagues in county fare at Hampshire, made up for a relatively pedestrian 14 off 13 balls by bowling tightly to take 1-17 off her 20-delivery allocation and captaining shrewdly to ensure her old English Ashes rival Nat Sciver-Brunt didn't steal the show. Chasing the Phoenix's 5-148, which had also featured an encouraging Hundred debut knock of 19 from Perry's young compatriot Georgia Voll, superstar Sciver-Brunt played a landmark innings to become the first woman to reach 1000 runs in English cricket's flagship 100 ball-a-side event. Sciver-Brunt was single-handedly threatening to win the match when Perry, who'd already squeezed the Rockets while taking 1-9 off her 10 balls in the powerplay, brought herself back into the attack for a final five-ball stint and restricted the English star to just a couple of runs. Another Aussie Megan Schutt (0-29) then also did a good job to keep the danger woman in check before Sciver-Brunt, running out of deliveries and partners, finally got dismissed in the last five-ball set, caught superbly by Millie Taylor off Em Arlott for a 40-ball 64. Aussie legspinner Alana King, who'd earlier bowled well for the Rockets with her 2-30 off 20 balls, including the wicket of Voll, then came to the crease, facing mission impossible, and could only garner five off the remaining balls as the Nottingham-based outfit ended on 6-137. "All round, it's a pretty solid start," smiled Perry. "Georgia and Emma (Lamb, 55 off 32) got us off to a good start in the powerplay which was an area that let us down last year. "And I was impressed with the way we defended the total, particularly in the field when we cut off some twos and took some really important catches. "Nat's always a threat whenever she's at the crease, and I thought our bowlers did a job just at the right time." But defeat was a huge let-down for Gardner, who took 1-32 off her full allocation and looked disgusted when she was dismissed for just two, smashing a half-tracker from Hannah Baker straight to square leg while in partnership with Sciver-Brunt. The Rockets' other Aussie international Heather Graham took 1-18 off 15 balls but was dismissed for just eight off nine balls in the chase. A women's Hundred clash with a distinct Australian flavour has ended with Ellyse Perry's Birmingham Phoenix defeating Ash Gardner's Trent Rockets by 11 runs at Edgbaston. Perry reckoned she had enjoyed having breakfast with her five fellow Aussies - two teammates and three opponents - in Birmingham on Friday morning before the great allrounder put friendship aside to play a key role in the afternoon in steering her side to victory. Perry, who looked in sharp form after a month playing alongside her new colleagues in county fare at Hampshire, made up for a relatively pedestrian 14 off 13 balls by bowling tightly to take 1-17 off her 20-delivery allocation and captaining shrewdly to ensure her old English Ashes rival Nat Sciver-Brunt didn't steal the show. Chasing the Phoenix's 5-148, which had also featured an encouraging Hundred debut knock of 19 from Perry's young compatriot Georgia Voll, superstar Sciver-Brunt played a landmark innings to become the first woman to reach 1000 runs in English cricket's flagship 100 ball-a-side event. Sciver-Brunt was single-handedly threatening to win the match when Perry, who'd already squeezed the Rockets while taking 1-9 off her 10 balls in the powerplay, brought herself back into the attack for a final five-ball stint and restricted the English star to just a couple of runs. Another Aussie Megan Schutt (0-29) then also did a good job to keep the danger woman in check before Sciver-Brunt, running out of deliveries and partners, finally got dismissed in the last five-ball set, caught superbly by Millie Taylor off Em Arlott for a 40-ball 64. Aussie legspinner Alana King, who'd earlier bowled well for the Rockets with her 2-30 off 20 balls, including the wicket of Voll, then came to the crease, facing mission impossible, and could only garner five off the remaining balls as the Nottingham-based outfit ended on 6-137. "All round, it's a pretty solid start," smiled Perry. "Georgia and Emma (Lamb, 55 off 32) got us off to a good start in the powerplay which was an area that let us down last year. "And I was impressed with the way we defended the total, particularly in the field when we cut off some twos and took some really important catches. "Nat's always a threat whenever she's at the crease, and I thought our bowlers did a job just at the right time." But defeat was a huge let-down for Gardner, who took 1-32 off her full allocation and looked disgusted when she was dismissed for just two, smashing a half-tracker from Hannah Baker straight to square leg while in partnership with Sciver-Brunt. The Rockets' other Aussie international Heather Graham took 1-18 off 15 balls but was dismissed for just eight off nine balls in the chase. A women's Hundred clash with a distinct Australian flavour has ended with Ellyse Perry's Birmingham Phoenix defeating Ash Gardner's Trent Rockets by 11 runs at Edgbaston. Perry reckoned she had enjoyed having breakfast with her five fellow Aussies - two teammates and three opponents - in Birmingham on Friday morning before the great allrounder put friendship aside to play a key role in the afternoon in steering her side to victory. Perry, who looked in sharp form after a month playing alongside her new colleagues in county fare at Hampshire, made up for a relatively pedestrian 14 off 13 balls by bowling tightly to take 1-17 off her 20-delivery allocation and captaining shrewdly to ensure her old English Ashes rival Nat Sciver-Brunt didn't steal the show. Chasing the Phoenix's 5-148, which had also featured an encouraging Hundred debut knock of 19 from Perry's young compatriot Georgia Voll, superstar Sciver-Brunt played a landmark innings to become the first woman to reach 1000 runs in English cricket's flagship 100 ball-a-side event. Sciver-Brunt was single-handedly threatening to win the match when Perry, who'd already squeezed the Rockets while taking 1-9 off her 10 balls in the powerplay, brought herself back into the attack for a final five-ball stint and restricted the English star to just a couple of runs. Another Aussie Megan Schutt (0-29) then also did a good job to keep the danger woman in check before Sciver-Brunt, running out of deliveries and partners, finally got dismissed in the last five-ball set, caught superbly by Millie Taylor off Em Arlott for a 40-ball 64. Aussie legspinner Alana King, who'd earlier bowled well for the Rockets with her 2-30 off 20 balls, including the wicket of Voll, then came to the crease, facing mission impossible, and could only garner five off the remaining balls as the Nottingham-based outfit ended on 6-137. "All round, it's a pretty solid start," smiled Perry. "Georgia and Emma (Lamb, 55 off 32) got us off to a good start in the powerplay which was an area that let us down last year. "And I was impressed with the way we defended the total, particularly in the field when we cut off some twos and took some really important catches. "Nat's always a threat whenever she's at the crease, and I thought our bowlers did a job just at the right time." But defeat was a huge let-down for Gardner, who took 1-32 off her full allocation and looked disgusted when she was dismissed for just two, smashing a half-tracker from Hannah Baker straight to square leg while in partnership with Sciver-Brunt. The Rockets' other Aussie international Heather Graham took 1-18 off 15 balls but was dismissed for just eight off nine balls in the chase.
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Goldflinger: Darts phenomenon lights up the Gong
World champion Luke Littler has demonstrated his phenomenal teenage talent in Wollongong by winning the star-studded Australian Darts Masters. A year after being humbled in the final of the biggest invitation event to be played in Australia, the 18-year-old this time made no mistake, winning all three of his matches convincingly on Saturday night to lift yet another big title. He also crushed Damon Heta's homecoming dream as he hammered Australia's top player, the world No.10, in the quarter-finals. After defeating 'The Heat' Heta 6-3 in the last eight and Stephen Bunting 7-4 in the semis, Littler outplayed Belgian Mike De Decker to win the final 8-4. In 2024, Littler had lost in the showdown 8-1 to former world champ Gerwyn Price, so was determined to put on a show for his Australian fans on his second visit. "It feels very good. It's another one I can tick off," Littler said after winning a World Series event for the first time in six attempts this year. "I played very well tonight. I didn't play so well last night in the first round but tonight is when it really matters. "It's not gone to plan this year in the World Series but there are plenty of opportunities to win and I've finally picked one up," added Littler, who's been in superlative form in other events, particularly with his victories in the Premier League and recent World he's after a trans-Tasman double when he moves on to the New Zealand Darts Masters. "A few days off and then Auckland, I can't wait," he said of next weekend's event. The frightening thing for his opponents is that Littler prevailed at the WIN Sports and Entertainments Centre without ever quite hitting his very best form. Perth ace Heta, who had held high hopes of toppling Littler after averaging nearly 110 in his first-round match on Friday, just couldn't hit those heights again, and the teenager made him pay by reeling off three straight legs from 3-3 to move into the semis, including a 104 checkout in the penultimate the semis, there was some more magic from 'Luke the Nuke' as he pulled off the biggest finish of the tournament, a maximum 170 'big fish' checkout on the way to beating Bunting. In the final, Littler was always in control once he produced two fantastic legs, one featuring a 143 checkout and the next an 11-darter. It all left De Decker sighing with a rueful smile: "He needs to retire because it's not fun any more..." World champion Luke Littler has demonstrated his phenomenal teenage talent in Wollongong by winning the star-studded Australian Darts Masters. A year after being humbled in the final of the biggest invitation event to be played in Australia, the 18-year-old this time made no mistake, winning all three of his matches convincingly on Saturday night to lift yet another big title. He also crushed Damon Heta's homecoming dream as he hammered Australia's top player, the world No.10, in the quarter-finals. After defeating 'The Heat' Heta 6-3 in the last eight and Stephen Bunting 7-4 in the semis, Littler outplayed Belgian Mike De Decker to win the final 8-4. In 2024, Littler had lost in the showdown 8-1 to former world champ Gerwyn Price, so was determined to put on a show for his Australian fans on his second visit. "It feels very good. It's another one I can tick off," Littler said after winning a World Series event for the first time in six attempts this year. "I played very well tonight. I didn't play so well last night in the first round but tonight is when it really matters. "It's not gone to plan this year in the World Series but there are plenty of opportunities to win and I've finally picked one up," added Littler, who's been in superlative form in other events, particularly with his victories in the Premier League and recent World he's after a trans-Tasman double when he moves on to the New Zealand Darts Masters. "A few days off and then Auckland, I can't wait," he said of next weekend's event. The frightening thing for his opponents is that Littler prevailed at the WIN Sports and Entertainments Centre without ever quite hitting his very best form. Perth ace Heta, who had held high hopes of toppling Littler after averaging nearly 110 in his first-round match on Friday, just couldn't hit those heights again, and the teenager made him pay by reeling off three straight legs from 3-3 to move into the semis, including a 104 checkout in the penultimate the semis, there was some more magic from 'Luke the Nuke' as he pulled off the biggest finish of the tournament, a maximum 170 'big fish' checkout on the way to beating Bunting. In the final, Littler was always in control once he produced two fantastic legs, one featuring a 143 checkout and the next an 11-darter. It all left De Decker sighing with a rueful smile: "He needs to retire because it's not fun any more..." World champion Luke Littler has demonstrated his phenomenal teenage talent in Wollongong by winning the star-studded Australian Darts Masters. A year after being humbled in the final of the biggest invitation event to be played in Australia, the 18-year-old this time made no mistake, winning all three of his matches convincingly on Saturday night to lift yet another big title. He also crushed Damon Heta's homecoming dream as he hammered Australia's top player, the world No.10, in the quarter-finals. After defeating 'The Heat' Heta 6-3 in the last eight and Stephen Bunting 7-4 in the semis, Littler outplayed Belgian Mike De Decker to win the final 8-4. In 2024, Littler had lost in the showdown 8-1 to former world champ Gerwyn Price, so was determined to put on a show for his Australian fans on his second visit. "It feels very good. It's another one I can tick off," Littler said after winning a World Series event for the first time in six attempts this year. "I played very well tonight. I didn't play so well last night in the first round but tonight is when it really matters. "It's not gone to plan this year in the World Series but there are plenty of opportunities to win and I've finally picked one up," added Littler, who's been in superlative form in other events, particularly with his victories in the Premier League and recent World he's after a trans-Tasman double when he moves on to the New Zealand Darts Masters. "A few days off and then Auckland, I can't wait," he said of next weekend's event. The frightening thing for his opponents is that Littler prevailed at the WIN Sports and Entertainments Centre without ever quite hitting his very best form. Perth ace Heta, who had held high hopes of toppling Littler after averaging nearly 110 in his first-round match on Friday, just couldn't hit those heights again, and the teenager made him pay by reeling off three straight legs from 3-3 to move into the semis, including a 104 checkout in the penultimate the semis, there was some more magic from 'Luke the Nuke' as he pulled off the biggest finish of the tournament, a maximum 170 'big fish' checkout on the way to beating Bunting. In the final, Littler was always in control once he produced two fantastic legs, one featuring a 143 checkout and the next an 11-darter. It all left De Decker sighing with a rueful smile: "He needs to retire because it's not fun any more..." World champion Luke Littler has demonstrated his phenomenal teenage talent in Wollongong by winning the star-studded Australian Darts Masters. A year after being humbled in the final of the biggest invitation event to be played in Australia, the 18-year-old this time made no mistake, winning all three of his matches convincingly on Saturday night to lift yet another big title. He also crushed Damon Heta's homecoming dream as he hammered Australia's top player, the world No.10, in the quarter-finals. After defeating 'The Heat' Heta 6-3 in the last eight and Stephen Bunting 7-4 in the semis, Littler outplayed Belgian Mike De Decker to win the final 8-4. In 2024, Littler had lost in the showdown 8-1 to former world champ Gerwyn Price, so was determined to put on a show for his Australian fans on his second visit. "It feels very good. It's another one I can tick off," Littler said after winning a World Series event for the first time in six attempts this year. "I played very well tonight. I didn't play so well last night in the first round but tonight is when it really matters. "It's not gone to plan this year in the World Series but there are plenty of opportunities to win and I've finally picked one up," added Littler, who's been in superlative form in other events, particularly with his victories in the Premier League and recent World he's after a trans-Tasman double when he moves on to the New Zealand Darts Masters. "A few days off and then Auckland, I can't wait," he said of next weekend's event. The frightening thing for his opponents is that Littler prevailed at the WIN Sports and Entertainments Centre without ever quite hitting his very best form. Perth ace Heta, who had held high hopes of toppling Littler after averaging nearly 110 in his first-round match on Friday, just couldn't hit those heights again, and the teenager made him pay by reeling off three straight legs from 3-3 to move into the semis, including a 104 checkout in the penultimate the semis, there was some more magic from 'Luke the Nuke' as he pulled off the biggest finish of the tournament, a maximum 170 'big fish' checkout on the way to beating Bunting. In the final, Littler was always in control once he produced two fantastic legs, one featuring a 143 checkout and the next an 11-darter. It all left De Decker sighing with a rueful smile: "He needs to retire because it's not fun any more..."
The Australian
5 hours ago
- The Australian
Supercars Sprint Cup: Feeney eyes Ipswich victory to boost title hopes
Triple Eight's series frontrunner Broc Feeney has vowed to continue his attack on track as he closes in on a title-boosting Sprint Cup win to fuel his pursuit of a Bathurst 1000 and Supercars championship double this year. The week after locking in his future at the powerhouse team until the end of 2029, Feeney can give his 2025 championship ambitions a shot in the arm by securing Supercars' new Sprint Cup crown at Ipswich this weekend. The championship leader at the end of the final event of the Sprint Cup at Queensland Raceway will gain automatic entry to the Supercars' new-look finals series, which kicks off with the Gold Coast 500 in late October. The Sprint Cup winner will also earn 25 bonus points for the start of the finals series – with the same on offer for the winner of the Enduro Cup – which could prove critical in the three round play-offs. Feeney holds a 220-point lead in the Supercars championship standings over his teammate and defending champion Will Brown after a hot run of form in the past four rounds, which has seen him surge into favouritism for the 2025 crown. Broc Feeney is pursuit of a Bathurst 1000 and Supercars championship double this year. Picture: Getty But the in-form Feeney said he would not be taking a conservative approach to defend his championship advantage, vowing to go all-out chasing the bonus points. 'We have done a really good job since Tasmania to get to the (championship) lead, but then to also pull a big margin,' Feeney said. 'It's to celebrate good consistency, but it certainly doesn't mean that we're going to take it easy and conserve that lead, I want to go and try and win three races again this weekend. 'What I am more excited about is the bonus points that come with that. Hopefully we can wrap that (Sprint Cup) up for this weekend and get the 25 bonus points for the play-offs. 'The last four or five (rounds) have been really good so hopefully we can keep that going for here and the chance to get three more victories.' Feeney already has 10 race wins to his name in 2025 – seven more than the next best, who are on three – Ford rivals Cam Waters and Matt Payne. Since the round in Taupo in New Zealand, Feeney has won nine of the 12 races on offer. The 22-year-old has also proved to be the qualifying benchmark with 10 poles for the season so far – also seven clear of Waters and Brodie Kostecki. 'The whole year I have felt very competitive and a lot better than I did last year,' Feeney said. 'Even (in the opening round in) Sydney, Cam was an anomaly, but take him out and we still had quite a big margin to the rest of the field. Broc Feeney celebrates on the podium spraying champagne. (Photo by) 'Grand Prix we got four poles and didn't really convert that well, so I feel like we were close for the first few rounds. But I think we learned a few things in New Zealand which has probably headed us down a bit of a direction with the car that I really like.' Feeney will again team with his Triple Eight boss and seven-time series champion Jamie Whincup for the enduros, which start at Tailem Bend next month. After finishing runner-up in the championship and at Mount Panorama last year, Feeney has his sights on both crowns this season. 'My favourite time of year is the enduros, so I'm so lucky to pair up with Jamie once again and I always look forward to these races,' Feeney said. 'I want to win the Enduro Cup to get 25 extra bonus points as well, but overall I want to win Bathurst. 'I feel like the last couple of years we have just come up short so I'm looking forward to a real solid running at Tailem Bend and ironing out any little issues that we have and try and go for the big one.' Red Bull Racing's Broc Feeney performs a burnout for the fans. Picture: Brendan Radke Triple Eight last week announced a three-year contract extension for Feeney and Brown, 18 months ahead of their current deals expiring, to lock in their long-term futures with the team. 'It was a no-brainer for me,' Feeney said. 'Obviously there is the change going on with us going to Ford and there are a couple of questions from the outside, but there was never a real doubt within my camp. 'Hopefully I can get a championship this year, that's certainly what we're aiming for. But to have another four years now on my contract from next year onwards, four more chances to go at it, well five including this year, it's exciting. 'I want to be with the best team and put myself in the best position to fight for a championship every year.' Rebecca Williams Sports reporter Rebecca Williams is a sports reporter for the Herald Sun/News Corp and CODE Sports covering mainly AFL and motorsport. @BecHeraldSun Rebecca Williams
