The Red Bull Chevrolet driver made the most of starting on the outside, racing line to take the lead and went on to take his second win of the season by 0.96sec.
“I had a super fast car, I was able to manage it from the front and manage the tires,” said the 25-year-old after his second win of the season. “Hopefully I will be able to keep it going over the weekend.”
The race was won in the opening 10 seconds of the 17-lap journey. Cam Waters looked to have the slightly better jump at the green but Brown beat the Tickford Ford Mustang to the first corner, taking a lead he was never to lose. The Ford had speed but on a warm track Waters never got the chance to put a move on Brown – especially when he found Broc Feeney on his inside on Lap 8.
Waters fought back but in the process fell to sixth, while Feeney seized second a lap later from Mark Winterbottom, who later jumped to second in the confusion after making up seven positions in Thursday’s race. The veteran pressed Feeney for the rest of the race hard but could not find a way past in his Team18 Chevrolet – until lap 17, when Feeney dropped two places when he locked the rear brakes and ran wide.
“That was hectic, no pitstops makes it an unbelievable race,” said Winterbottom.
“You think 19 laps [sic] It is not very long, but it was flat-out. “Our race pace is good and we are definitely heading in the right direction.”
Broc Feeney, Triple Eight Race Engineering Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Photo by: Edge Photographics
Behind the pair of Chevrolet Camaros, Grove Racing’s Matt Payne took third place in the best of the Fords ahead of Feeney, Will Davison (Dick Johnson Racing Ford), Nick Percat (Matt Stone Racing Chevrolet) and Waters.
Payne, who finished the race with a broken front wheel rim after a clash with Anton de Pasquale on the opening lap of the race, did not know he had the problem.
“I have no idea, that happened at the start,” he said. “I lost the steering wheel out of my hands. Another third place is pretty good, I can’t complain!”
One driver who did not feature was Chaz Mostert. Coming into the race third in the points, the WAU Ford driver experienced a blistered tire and dropped well down the pack, finishing 17th.
Even after the mishap for Feeney he remains second in the points, while Brown’s position is aided by five bonus points for the fastest lap. He leads on 437 from Feeney’s 419, with Mostert third on 354 from Payne (302) and Percat (302).
Saturday will see two more Qualifying sessions which will set the grid for one race each on Saturday and Sunday.
