Brown feared damage in 'nerve-wracking' Feeney clash

Will Brown has labelled his Sandown run-in with teammate Broc Feeney as "nerve-wracking,” with the incident nearly bringing Triple Eight’s day unstuck in dramatic fashion.

Brown combined with Scott Pye to beat Red Bull Ampol Racing stablemates Feeney and Jamie Whincup in a thrilling Penrite Oil Sandown 500 on Sunday.

Late in the race, which ran time certain, the championship leader overhauled Feeney, who fired off at Turn 1 on cold tyres after his stop.

Feeney attempted to rejoin, only to make contact with Brown as they raced towards Turn 2.

Remarkably, both drivers avoided a dramatic collision, with Brown beating Feeney and PremiAir Nulon Racing driver James Golding in a grandstand finish following a spate of late Safety Cars.

Critically, Brown extended his lead over Chaz Mostert, who finished seventh, from 81 to 189 points. Feeney is third, just 33 points behind Mostert.

“Yeah, it was nerve-wracking,” Brown said after the race.

"I saw him rejoin there and run wide and I pushed a bit wide as well, and then coming back on we both tagged, so I was hoping it did no damage to the both of us."

Brown, who claimed his first win since Taupō in April, added: "It was cool to get in the lead there, and then Safety Car restarts, and then Broc pitted for tyres and I thought, ‘Shit I hope we don't have to pit for new tyres otherwise I'm going to be screwed here.'

"I got back around, got new tyres, and then there was a red light at pit exit so I nearly stopped and then I got going and got back out in front of him.

"It was mega, he was pushing me the whole way, it's just a really cool day."

On the clash, Feeney said: “I locked a front on a cold tyre, young bloke, cold tyres, went in a bit hot, and as I’ve come back on the track, Will was there.

“It was way too close but it’s as hard one. I shouldn’t have locked a front, shouldn’t have gone in as deep but maybe Will would have got me then.

“It’s a tough one. For sure it’s not ideal, we don’t want to be touching each other.

“I think we’ve raced super clean all year, we haven’t run into each other at all, so hopefully we put that one behind us and don’t run into each other again.

“Trust me, we’re doing all we can to not rub each other but unfortunately it happened.”

The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship will resume at Mount Panorama for the Repco Bathurst 1000 on October 10-13. Tickets for the race are on sale now.