Kostecki, van Gisbergen discuss epic battle
Supercars Championship Results, Capitalising on a battle between Will Brown and Shane van Gisbergen laid the inspiration for Brodie Kostecki’s maiden Supercars victory.
Kostecki received the shortened Race 4 on the Beaurepaires Melbourne SuperSprint on Friday.
It marked Erebus Motorsport’s first victory since Sydney 2021, and the primary for #99 Coca-Cola Camaro driver Kostecki in his seventy fifth profession begin.
Van Gisbergen got here residence third in his #97 Purple Bull Ampol Camaro, with Ford veteran James Courtney splitting the 2 Chevrolets.
Brown took the lead from pole-sitter van Gisbergen into Flip 1, with the latter unable to retake the place.
A Security Automobile for the stranded Penrite Ford of David Reynolds gave Tremendous Gentle-shod van Gisbergen one other probability to go Brown.
Van Gisbergen ran across the outdoors of the #9 Coca-Cola automobile at Flip 3, and the reigning champion was held out broad.
It gave Kostecki a golden probability to maneuver into second, with van Gisbergen additionally hanging on round Flip 5.
Kostecki pounced on Brown by means of Flip 6 — by then, van Gisbergen had been shuffled right down to sixth behind Courtney, Chaz Mostert and Broc Feeney.
“Will was preventing for his life on the restarts there,” Kostecki mentioned after the race.
“I capitalised on them racing, and obtained by them each. Clearly the remaining is historical past.
“I knew the automobile had the tempo, I knew to not make errors, it was drizzling a bit on the market.
“I attempted to go away a bit on the desk, simply try to preserve the lead, then was instructed it was time sure.
“Then the Security Automobile got here out on the finish there, and I knew as soon as we dropped, it was throughout.”
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That Security Automobile — brought on by a Flip 7 crash for Jack Le Brocq — ensured Kostecki, who took his cease forward of van Gisbergen, would win the race.
Courtney was second, with Brown — who stopped on lap 4 — crossing the road seventh.
Van Gisbergen mentioned he discovered his lesson from the primary lap, however his lap 4 restart assault left him in a “damned if I did, damned if I didn’t” scenario.
Nevertheless, the two-time Bathurst winner had no unwell emotions in direction of Brown, saying he would’ve pulled an similar transfer had the roles been reversed.
“I discovered from the primary one with Brodie into Flip 3, I went across the outdoors,” van Gisbergen mentioned.
“On the restart, I used to be damned if I did, damned if I did not.
“I did not know the place to go. If I went to the within, Will would block me and Brodie would go round.
“I went for it and he [Brown] ran me off the street, however I’d’ve executed the identical to him.
“It’s what it’s.”
Vehicles will return on Saturday for back-to-back ARMOR ALL Qualifying periods at 9:05am native time.
