Ryan Wood has secured an unexpected pole position for the first race of the Supercars finals, edging out championship leader Broc Feeney in a dramatic qualifying session on the challenging streets of the Gold Coast. Wood clocked a time of 1:09.158 to claim his second pole of the season, placing Feeney in second and setting the stage for an exciting race ahead.
Entering the inaugural Supercars finals ranked ninth, Wood is just 145 points behind Feeney, who has dominated the season with 12 victories—eight more than any other driver. “A massive thank you to our guys and girls at WAU (Walkinshaw Andretti United) for putting their heart and soul into our team every week, and to repay them a little bit straightaway is nice,” said Wood. He expressed confidence in his car’s performance, highlighting the competitive nature of the field. “There’s super fast cars out there. The lap that Broc did was super impressive.”
The qualifying session was marred by crashes that affected several competitors. Notably, Brodie Kostecki from Dick Johnson Racing will not participate in the first 250 km race of the round due to urgent repairs needed on his Ford Mustang, which crashed into a tyre wall. The incident also resulted in injuries to four photographers, who have since been taken to the hospital but are reported to be alert and in stable condition.
Kostecki’s unfortunate circumstances arrive as he attempts to compete in the finals, potentially jeopardizing his chances before the series even begins. Meanwhile, reigning Supercars champion Will Brown is also facing difficulties. He suffered significant damage to his Camaro after crashing into a wall during his attempt to qualify. “I told myself going into the chicane, ‘let’s not screw this up’, and that’s what happened,” Brown reflected on his misfortune.
Despite the challenges, Triple Eight team principal Jamie Whincup remains optimistic about Brown’s prospects. He hopes the damage sustained in the crash can be repaired in time for Saturday’s race, allowing the team to remain competitive in the finals.
The Supercars finals are set to deliver thrilling racing as drivers contend with the pressure of the championship and the demanding conditions of the Gold Coast circuit. With Wood leading the pack, fans can expect an exhilarating showdown as the series unfolds.
