Supercars News: First Two Races of the Sydney 500 Weekend

The 2026 Repco Supercars Championship kicked off with the Dunlop Sydney 500 at Sydney Motorsport Park, featuring night racing under lights. The weekend highlighted a mix of established teams and underdogs, with Race 1 on Friday delivering a strategic sprint won by Broc Feeney, and Race 2 on Saturday showcasing a thrilling endurance battle claimed by Anton De Pasquale.

–b Mark Cipolloni–

The event drew strong crowds and set the tone for the season, including standout performances from the Blanchard Racing Team (BRT) in Race 1, where they achieved their first-ever pole and a double podium. This report covers key results, highlights, and reactions from both races.

Sydney 500 Race 1: Friday Night Sprint (26 Laps, 100 km)

The opening race saw Broc Feeney (#88, Triple Eight Race Engineering, Ford Mustang GT) secure a dominant victory through a clever undercut pit strategy, marking Triple Eight’s first win after switching back to Ford.

Feeney started third but pitted on Lap 13, emerging with fresher tires to overtake early leader Aaron Cameron.

The race emphasized tire management and overtakes, with no safety cars deployed. BRT stole the spotlight: James Golding earned the team’s first pole, and teammates

Cameron and Golding finished second and third, respectively—their first double podium after just one prior podium in five seasons. Golding faced a jump-start investigation but avoided penalty after replays showed he stopped in his grid box.

Key Highlights and Incidents

– Start and Early Laps: Cameron grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1 from the cleaner side, leading initially. Matt Payne attempted a dive on Feeney at Turn 6 on Lap 3, but Feeney countered with a switchback.
– Pit Stops and Strategy: Pit window opened around Lap 9; Feeney’s undercut on Lap 13 proved decisive, finishing 2.9338 seconds ahead.
– Notable Moves: Golding overtook Cameron Waters for third on Lap 22 at Turn 9. Brodie Kostecki received a five-second penalty for contact with Zach Bates on Lap 9, damaging Bates’ car.
– Retirements: Cooper Murray retired on Lap 8 due to power steering failure—the only DNF.
– Standouts: An all-Ford top five underlined Mustang strength, with Kai Allen gaining four spots to 13th and Chaz Mostert advancing to 16th.

Reactions

– Broc Feeney: “I remembered how to drive, which is a good thing. I can’t be prouder of this team. The effort that’s gone in over the last couple of months is extraordinary. To join Ford once again and get the first win is a dream come true.”
– BRT drivers expressed confidence in securing their first win over the weekend, building on their breakthrough performance.

Sydney 500 Full Race 1 Sprint Results – 26 Laps

Sydney 500 Race 2: Saturday Night Endurance (52 Laps, 200 km)

Anton De Pasquale (#18, Team 18, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1) claimed a narrow victory in a dramatic 200 km race, holding off Brodie Kostecki by just 0.3627 seconds—the second-closest finish in recent Supercars history, echoing the 2025 photo finish at the same event.

This was Team 18’s first win as the GM homologation team and their second overall, snapping a 70-race drought since 2023. De Pasquale led most laps after starting from pole (his ninth at Sydney), but Kostecki’s late charge from behind made it a thriller.

The race featured multiple pit stops and position battles, with Chevrolet showing strength amid Ford and Toyota competition.

Key Highlights and Incidents

– Dominance and Late Drama: De Pasquale controlled the race but faced pressure in the final laps as Kostecki closed in.
– Notable Incidents: Andre Heimgartner’s new Toyota Supra suffered an engine failure on Lap 8, retiring in a cloud of smoke—the weekend’s most dramatic mechanical issue. Jayden Ojeda finished a lap down in 22nd, and Macauley Jones was two laps down.
– Standouts: Matthew Payne secured third for Grove Racing. Team 18 doubled up with David Reynolds in fifth. Ryan Wood (Toyota) finished seventh, the top non-Ford/Chevy in the top 10.

Reactions

– While specific quotes were limited, Team 18 celebrated the breakthrough as a team effort, highlighting De Pasquale’s composure under pressure.

Sydney 500 Full Race 2 Results – 52 Laps