The 2023 points battles to watch in Adelaide
The battle for the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship isn’t the only points equation on the line at this weekend’s VAILO Adelaide 500.
Both championships are up for grabs after a season-long battle between Erebus Motorsport and Triple Eight — but what else is at stake?
Supercars.com highlights the key points battles which will be decided at the season finale.
The title fights
Just 131 points and 170 points — they’re the simple numbers as Brodie Kostecki and Erebus chase their first championships. Kostecki has led the championship for the majority of the season, only losing it briefly to teammate Will Brown during Townsville. Shane van Gisbergen cut the margin from 131 to 104 in the first Gold Coast, before Kostecki restored the margin. Erebus, meanwhile, has led all the way since Newcastle, but Triple Eight could yet steal either — or, in an Erebus nightmare — both titles.
Fight for 2024 bragging rights
There’s a battle within the battle, with Will Brown leading future teammate Broc Feeney for third by just nine points. Brown and Feeney fell out of contention after a tough second half of the year, but they still have a score to settle before they link up at Triple Eight in 2024.
Andre vs Cam
Andre Heimgartner and Cam Waters both suffered DNFs at the Repco Bathurst 1000, but have otherwise had solid seasons. Heimgartner is sixth with one round to go, equal to Brad Jones Racing’s best championship finish. Waters, however, took home two surfboards at Surfers Paradise and is just one point behind Heimgartner, and given his Adelaide pace last year, will be hard to stop.
Chasing a top 10 spot
There’s plenty of pride on the line in Adelaide, with several drivers fighting for a top 10 championship position. Newly re-signed BJR driver Bryce Fullwood is ninth, but is 136 points ahead of Penrite Racing rookie Matt Payne in 14th. Outgoing Matt Stone Racing driver Jack Le Brocq is just seven points behind Fullwood, with Shell V-Power Racing Team veteran Will Davison 10 points behind Le Brocq. In 12th is Gold Coast winner David Reynolds, who is 67 points behind Davison, with Tickford Racing driver Thomas Randle 46 points behind Reynolds. Payne, meanwhile, is just six points behind Randle.
Who wants to be top dog?
There are a number of key intra-team battles to be decided, with the fight for Shell V-Power Racing Team honours again to be decided. Anton De Pasquale leads Will Davison by 74 points, and history is on the former’s side, given De Pasquale passed Davison for fourth overall in the final race last year.
There’s a score to settle at Penrite Racing, with David Reynolds 52 points ahead of rookie teammate Matt Payne. Both drivers hit strong form on the Gold Coast, with Reynolds set to shift to Team 18 in 2024.
Down at Nulon Racing, James Golding leads Tim Slade by 75 points. Slade was the lead Nulon driver for much of the season, but an untimely DNF in the Gold Coast finale has tipped the scale in Golding’s favour.
The final bragging rights in Mark Winterbottom and Scott Pye’s time as Team 18 teammates will also be decided. Winterbottom leads Pye by 67 points, with the latter missing out on a crucial top 10 finish on the Gold Coast after a late crash while avoiding James Golding.
Top Ford team honours
It hasn’t been the most successful season for the Blue Oval, but its teams are still looking to get the edge on each other. Dick Johnson Racing, Tickford Racing and Walkinshaw Andretti United are covered by 93 points in the fight for fourth in the teams’ championship. DJR is in a fight of its own, being 137 points behind Brad Jones Racing for third.
