Supercars News: Mostert wins Championship after teammate wrecks Feeney

In a season finale that will be etched in Supercars lore for its raw drama and bitter controversy, Chaz Mostert (pictured) seized his long-awaited maiden Drivers’ Championship at the bp Adelaide 500.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

The two-time Bathurst 1000 winner delivered a poised runner-up finish in his Walkinshaw Andretti United (WAU) Ford Mustang, capitalizing on title rival Broc Feeney’s lap-one nightmare and subsequent mechanical gremlins to snatch the crown by a razor-thin margin.

Mostert, a 33-year-old Gold Coast native raised in Queensland’s Beaudesert, entered the day trailing Feeney by 23 points. The 23-year-old Triple Eight prodigy had dominated the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship with a staggering 14 race victories and a record-tying 19 pole positions, positioning him as the overwhelming favorite for his first title. Yet, what unfolded was a cruel twist of fate, echoing the high-stakes chaos of NASCAR’s playoffs—a format Supercars controversially adopted this year to inject playoff-style intensity.

A Pole-Start Shocker: The Crash That Ignited Outrage

From the green light, Feeney bolted into the lead aboard his Red Bull Ampol Racing Chevrolet Camaro, starting from his 19th pole of the season. But WAU’s Ryan Wood, eliminated from finals contention and with nothing to lose, spied a narrow gap at Turn 6 on the opening lap. Wood dove aggressively inside, only for his Mustang to clip the wall before tagging the rear of Feeney’s #88 machine. The contact spun Feeney sideways, plummeting him from first to the back of the 24-car field amid a cloud of debris and disbelief.

Officials slapped Wood with a 15-second penalty for his role in the melee, but the damage was irreparable for Feeney. As he clawed his way through the pack, his engine began to falter—spluttering under load and robbing him of precious pace. A mid-race pit stop for a loose rear wheel only compounded the misery, turning what should have been a coronation lap into a survival slog. Feeney limped home in 20th position, his title dreams evaporating in the Adelaide heat.

The incident divided the paddock and fanbase like few moments in recent Supercars history. Wood defended his “brutal” lunge unapologetically in post-race interviews, insisting it was hard but fair racing. “I saw a gap and I went for it,” he said, reviewing onboard footage. “I definitely had a car inside and got crowded down to the wall. That’s where the contact occurred… I was here to win the race today.” WAU team principal Ryan Walkinshaw doubled down, blasting Feeney for squeezing Wood into the barriers: “He very clearly had Woody alongside him and pushed Woody into the wall! … Entirely Broc’s fault.” Vision of WAU’s garage erupting in wild celebration as Feeney spun only fueled the fire, drawing accusations of unsportsmanlike glee.

Feeney’s Triple Eight teammates were less forgiving. Reigning champion Will Brown, who podiumed third, called the move “disappointing,” adding, “Not sure the play was on at the start there… I think he [Feeney] really deserved that one.” Team boss Jamie Whincup labeled it “grubby,” while analysts Mark Skaife and Garth Tander offered a nuanced take: Feeney bore some blame for a sluggish start from pole, leaving himself exposed, but Wood’s dive was overly aggressive given the stakes. “I never like to see that stuff actually play out in a way that inevitably has changed the result of a very dominant season from Broc Feeney,” Skaife lamented.

Feeney’s Tearful Farewell: “You Won’t Hear Me for a While”

The emotional toll hit hardest for Feeney, who fronted the media through choked-back sobs—a mark of the young gun’s maturity despite the devastation. Visibly shattered, the Gold Coaster paused mid-sentence, tears welling as he reflected on a year of near-perfection undone in minutes. “I just want to thank everyone at Red Bull Ampol Racing—it’s been a phenomenal year, something I’ll be very proud of for the rest of my life,” he said, voice cracking. “That’s the new system they’ve got. You can have a shocker in the last race of the year and it all falls apart… No matter what happened today, the thing was going to break down unfortunately.”

In a raw moment that captured the sport’s human side, Feeney bid a temporary adieu: “I can’t thank my team enough, my family, friends, everyone that’s got my back… I don’t think you’ll be hearing from me for a while, mate. I’ll be flying under the radar for a bit.” Fox Sports commentator Steve Larkham consoled him on air: “You were wringing its neck, you didn’t give up on it. I reckon you’ve got 15 more shots at this… Thanks, buddy.” Feeney later edged Brown for second in the final standings, with rookie sensation Kai Allen rounding out the top four.

Fans, meanwhile, unleashed a torrent of outrage online, spilling over from NASCAR’s own playoff woes to savage Supercars’ eliminator format. “Absolute joke,” one vented, while another warned, “You guys have a decision to make now. Keep this format while chasing casual fans that won’t come, while driving away core fans and eliminating legitimacy in your sport.” The backlash painted Mostert’s triumph as “tainted,” with cries of a “clown of a championship” that rewarded finals fireworks over season-long excellence.

Mostert’s Ice-Cool Masterclass: A Title 12 Years in the Making

Amid the turmoil, Mostert was the picture of composure. Piloting his Mustang to second behind race winner Matt Payne—the 2025 Bathurst 1000 victor—Mostert methodically chipped away at Feeney’s lead, his WAU squad’s four finals wins proving decisive under the new system. “Congrats to Chaz, obviously had a great finals series,” Feeney graciously acknowledged, even in defeat.

This victory marks Mostert as the 28th different champion in Supercars/ATCC history and WAU’s first since Garth Tander in 2007—though some trace it back to Mark Skaife’s 2002 crown under the team’s prior guise. For Mostert, a Supercars veteran since his 2013 debut, it’s poetic closure before a seismic shift: This was his final dance in a Ford, as WAU pivots to Toyota machinery in 2026. Fittingly, it was also Feeney and Brown’s swan song in the Chevrolet Camaro, with Triple Eight reverting to Ford.

The race bid a poignant farewell to several full-time stalwarts: James Courtney, Will Davison, and Nick Percat hung up their helmets, joined by Bryce Fullwood and Jaxon Evans in stepping back from the grid. Injecting fresh blood, 2026 welcomes five rookies: Ryaln Gray, Jackson Walls, Jobe Stewart, Zach Bates, and Jayden Ojeda.

Fallout and the Road Ahead

As confetti rained on Mostert’s podium, the Adelaide finale left Supercars at a crossroads. Brown’s parting shot hinted at evolving tactics: “It opens up the games in next year with what happened. And I’m looking forward to that.” The crash’s echoes—and the format’s flaws—will linger, much like NASCAR’s playoff debates that inspired it. Feeney’s heartbreak may scar, but at 23, his 15-plus title shots loom large.

The 2026 Repco Supercars Championship revs to life on February 20 at Sydney Motorsport Park, promising redemption arcs, manufacturer showdowns, and—hopefully—fairer fights. For now, Mostert savors his breakthrough, but in the unforgiving world of wheel-to-wheel racing, today’s champion is tomorrow’s challenger.

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