Supercars News: Will Brown wins Sandown 500

Will Brown has beaten Red Bull Camaro teammate Broc Feeney in a thrilling Penrite Oil Sandown 500, with the championship leader and Scott Pye scoring their first Supercars endurance race victories.

Brown hung on in a grandstand finish to the race, which ran time certain to 154 laps and featured five Safety Car periods. The points leader beat Feeney, who won the 2023 race with Jamie Whincup, by 0.4747s.

It marked Brown’s first win since New Zealand in April, while Pye claimed just his second career win, and first since Albert Park in 2018.

Heading to the Repco Bathurst 1000, Brown has an extended 189-point lead over Ford’s best Chaz Mostert, with Feeney 222 points behind.

Click here for 2024 Penrite Oil Sandown 500 results

The teammates brought home a one-two following a heart-in-mouth moment, with Feeney hitting Brown after sailing off the road following a pit stop.

It was Triple Eight Race Engineering’s 9th win in the Sandown 500 endurance race.

Behind them, James Golding/David Russell delivered a maiden Supercars podium for PremiAir Nulon Racing, with Golding denying Matt Payne by 0.3941s at the line. Payne/Garth Tander finished fourth ahead of Triple Eight wildcard Cooper Murray/Craig Lowndes, with Cam Waters/James Moffat sixth.

Chaz Mostert/Lee Holdsworth came home seventh, with the championship contender surviving an early-race spin for Holdsworth to limit the damage to Brown in the title fight.

“God what a race, Scott did a mega job, I was a bit nervous at the start when they got underneath us and the 88 was leading,” Brown said.

“Those last laps were nerve wracking, I thought don’t put a foot wrong, because Broc’s going to be there and I know he’ll pounce, but it was awesome.

“I’m just so stoked to get this, a win here at Sandown, the first round of the enduros, it’s a bloody good way to start it, so thanks to all the guys and girls at Red Bull Ampol Racing.”

The first half of the race featured three Safety Cars and a Full Course Yellow period, leading to a lap 95 restart. Brown skipped away as Feeney defended from Golding. Behind them, Waters pounced on Payne at Turn 1 for fourth.

Late Safety Cars bunched the field together and when the race restarted with three minutes left, Brown led teammate Feeney as the top five banged in their respective fastest laps of the race on lap 152. Feeney gave it away as the minutes wound down, paving the way for Brown to secure his first win since Taupō in April, at an event cheered on by 63,418 fans who celebrated the 60th anniversary at Sandown.

The Kostecki/Todd Hazelwood and Richie Stanaway/Dale Wood cars were the only retirements from the race, with a record-equalling 20 cars finishing on the lead lap.

Heading to Bathurst, nine drivers remain a mathematical chance of winning the Driver’s Championship, with 300 points on the line again at Mount Panorama, this year’s Great Race is shaping as one of the most important in recent history.

DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP – PENRITE OIL SANDOWN 500

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