MELBOURNE, Victoria - The immense momentum continued for Red Bull Ampol Racingâs Will Brown at Round 2 of the 2024 Supercars Championship, with the talented Queenslander claiming the iconic Larry Perkins trophy as he captured the AusGP round victory.
Consistently fast across the four races completed during the round, Brown finished no lower than second position, with the #87 Camaro storming to an impressive race win in Race 4âs 19-lap encounter on Friday.
The Triple Eight Race Engineering cars were fast the moment they hit the Albert Park circuit, with Brown posting qualifying times that would see him line up in P4 and P2 for Race 3 and 4 following back-to-back qualifying sessions.
A measured climb in each race, which represented RBARâs strong race pace, saw Brown make his way up the grid and secure P2 and P1 in the opening two races of the event.
Another dual qualifying session greeted drivers early Saturday morning, with the back-to-back nature of the sessions providing both drivers and teams with a high level of intensity. Finishing further down the order in P6 and P9, Brownâs racecraft would be on full display if he were to make his way back towards the podium come race time.
In true championship-contender fashion, thatâs exactly what Brown would do, as he clawed his way through the field to finish the final two races of the round with dual second-place results, which was enough to earn car #87 the ever-special Larry Perkins trophy.
Brown keeps the orange numbers on his Red Bull Ampol Racing Chevrolet Camaro heading into Taupo, leading the championship by 97 points.
âOverall, we had a great weekend here in Melbourne,â recalled Brown. âI got three second-place finishes, so it wouldâve been nice to get another win but it was still an awesome bank of points and great results all round and a great start to the year. I felt like a lot of people were racing really hard out there going for that one win. There were a couple of mistakes made, so I was able to pick a few drivers off and get up the front. Ready to take things into the next round.âÂ
Next Event (Round 3): April 19-21 â TaupĆ, New Zealand
Supercars Championship Results Race 3 (Melbourne SuperSprint):
Supercars Championship Results Race 4 (Melbourne SuperSprint):
Supercars Championship Results Race 5 (Melbourne SuperSprint):
Supercars Championship Results Race 6 (Melbourne SuperSprint):
Supercars Championship Results after 2 of 12 rounds
Achieving comfort immediately in his Triple Eight prepared Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Brown entered Saturdayâs top-ten shootout where he would post a scorching 2.06.374 which landed him Pole Position.
The team debutant then pieced together a strong performance in Saturdayâs opening race, collecting P2 following the 40-lap affair.
Sunday presented a new day on The Mountain for the second and final race of the weekend, with Brown once again showing his qualifying prowess by securing third place. A strategic game plan by the team along with a swift pit stop placed Brown in the lead of the race by the mid-way mark, which he would maintain for his maiden race win for the team as the checkered flag flew.
âWhat a debut for myself and the team here in Bathurst. Charging to pole on Saturday was awesome, and then getting the race win on Sunday was massive as well. For us as a team, weâre focused on consistency as thatâs what counts towards the championship, so weâll get to work again to be ready and prepared for Melbourne in a few weeks. Overall, this was a great weekend for us and an awesome way to start the season.â
Next Event (Round 2): March 21-24 â Melbourne, Victoria
Supercars Championship Results Race 1 (Bathurst 500):
Supercars Championship Results Race 2 (Bathurst 500):
Supercars Championship Results after 1 of 12 rounds
Sunday Results:
Race Results: Sixth Overall and in Class
Quotes:
Broc Feeney, Driver, National Storage Racing
âTo be honest, I donât really know what to say about the day, it is probably one of the weirdest races that Iâve ever been apart of. Sometimes we looked like we were in a great spot and then the next minute youâd be 15th. There were a few things that didnât go our way but there were also some things that did so it made for a mixed day. We coped a little bit of damage with a few hours to go and just struggled a little bit to come back from there. Track position was key today, it was very difficult to pass and some things didnât go to plan. I think we couldâve finished a little better then we did, but unfortunately it just wasnât our day.â
Will Brown, Driver, National Storage Racing
âIt was a crazy day. The weather made it very exciting, but it probably wasnât the result we wanted. We were running in the Top 4 most of the day, but then a few things didnât go our way. It was a bit of a disappointing end but it was a great way to start off racing with Triple Eight and tick off the first weekend for the year. It was really great to get a full weekend under my belt in a GT car. I hope that I get more opportunities to jump in for some more time behind the wheel.â
Mikael Grenier, Driver, National Storage Racing
]]>âI had the privilege to start and finish today, it was a big day. It was a good day in general. The car was super quick this weekend and so were both my teammates (Will Brown and Broc Feeney). We just made a few wrong calls which resulted in us loosing track position, we also had quite a lot of traffic and some contact as well, which made the day difficult from there. We ended up finishing in P6, so it is a great result, although I do think we had the pace to be up on the podium, but thatâs racing.â
Saturday Results:
Practice 5 â Sixth (2:04.1645)
Practice 6 â Second (2:03.0965)
Qualifying â First (2:01.8911)
Shootout â Second
Quotes:
Broc Feeney, Driver, National Storage Racing
âItâs unreal to be here, I love the Bathurst 12hr, it is one of my favorites of the year. Itâs pretty cool to get to go against European-based teams, we are lucky to get to race them in cars that are theirs but on our track. Itâs been really great to get back in the groove again after the break. The team are all working very hard to give us the best chance tomorrow. Weâve got Roland Dane back this weekend, and itâs been great to have him here as Team Manager on our car. To have this weekend not only for us drivers to get back into the swing of things but also for the team to get back into the rhythm is a positive thing for the season. The race here at the 12hr is such a long one, we are essentially doing two Bathurst 1000, so anything can happen. We are in a good starting position at the front of the grid, and I canât say anything about myself but weâve got two good drivers in Mik (Grenier) and Will (Brown), so I am looking forward to the race tomorrow.â
Will Brown, Driver, National Storage Racing
âItâs been awesome to be able to get some seat time in, I havenât done as much GT racing so itâs been a great opportunity this weekend. I am used to Bathurst and the track but not in a GT car so I have been learning a lot from both Broc (Feeney) and Mik (Grenier), both who have done a lot more racing in these cars. Working with the team has been awesome, Iâm making sure with Roland (Dane) back that Iâm not late to any meetings, itâs been a great opportunity to work with him. Being able to work with the engineers and mechanics before the start of the Supercar season has been great as well. There are always going to be challenges, but I think for myself heading into tomorrow Iâll really have to focus on the first couple of laps of each stint and trying to get the tyre temp up. It will definitely be a long day tomorrow but I am looking forward to it.â
Mikael Grenier, Driver, National Storage Racing
]]>âThe car is feeling good, I think we have improved quite a bit from the first practice. Whatâs important is race pace but I think that with this car we have it. My teammates, Broc (Feeney) and Will (Brown) are doing a great job. Heading into tomorrow I think the most critical part will be how we move through the first part of the race in the early morning/night stint. After we do that, weâll see how it goes, it is a long race. I quite like the track here at Bathurst. Itâs very unique, the first and last corners feel like a circuit but then the rest of the track feels similar to a street course. You do need a lot of commitment and concentration here, so itâs not an easy track but itâs super nice.â
Red Bull Ampol Racing has revealed its stunning 2024 Supercars Championship liveries that will feature on the teamâs two Gen3 Chevrolet Camaros in front of a crowd of thousands at their âLivery Landingâ public season launch held at Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport.
The local crowd were treated to an array of partner activations, a âshow and shineâ exhibition and an aerobatic display by Red Bull pilot Matt Hall before the team revealed their 2024 challengers in style with a number of burnout and pit stop demonstrations, entertaining the cheering crowd.
The team officially welcomed Toowoomba local Will Brown as a Red Bull Ampol Racing driver for the 2024 season and beyond, alongside Broc Feeney who enters his third year with the team in the main game. Both drivers were accompanied by co-drivers Scott Pye and Jamie Whincup, who were announced to partner with Brown and Feeney respectively for the Supercars Enduro Season.
With their ongoing support from naming-rights partners Red Bull and Ampol, the team will continue to enjoy support from major team partners; ACDelco, Ampol Amplify Premium Fuels, Chevrolet Racing, HP, Harvey Norman, JGI, National Storage, New Holland, Quad Lock, Supercheap Auto, ToolPro and Wurth.
In addition, the team is extremely excited to welcome on board for the 2024 season: Complete Parts & Equipment Solutions.
The team will also enter 2024 with an unchanged race engineering line up, with Andrew Edwards working alongside Brown in the #87 Camaro, and Martin Short continuing as Feeneyâs race engineer in the #88 Camaro. Both engineers will continue to work under the guidance of the teamâs Technical Director, Jeromy Moore, and Team Manager, Mark Dutton.
Red Bull Ampol Racingâs first pre-season test day is earmarked for February 5 at Queensland Raceway. Round 1 of the 2024 Supercars Championship begins at the Bathurst 500 on 23-25 February.
Quotes:
Will Brown, Driver #87 Chevrolet Camaro, Red Bull Ampol Racing
âThe cars look amazing. To be joining the team and having those iconic Red Bull Ampol Racing colours on my car is fantastic. To reveal the car for the first time in Toowoomba and to show it off to all the locals is pretty exciting to have it in my hometown. My family have a small used car dealership in town, and we had a lot of people during the week come in asking about the launch and were really excited about it. Itâs been the talk of the town and itâs awesome that we could bring this cool event to life. The next major event for us is the teamâs pre-season test day on Monday which is going to be exciting to get a full day in the car. Weâve done the shakedown which was just a teaser, and now to get the full day is awesome. Weâre going to run through the normal test plan and get myself more comfortable in the car because itâs brand new to me, so Andrew (Edwards, race engineer) and I will be working closely with each other. Itâll be a big day, but Iâm really looking forward to it.â
Broc Feeney, Driver #88 Chevrolet Camaro, Red Bull Ampol Racing
âThe cars look clean â simple but very effective. As long as it goes fast Iâll be happy, but it certainly looks the goods. Itâs great for the team to return to these massive public launches. I feel like weâve taken it a massive step up this year and put in a lot of effort to make sure it was a great event, and everyone got behind it; team partners, staff, members, fans â they were all super supportive of it. We had a really good shakedown during the week and we got to run through a couple of things before our test day on Monday. The cars are a little bit different with a different aero package, but itâs just getting back to work and seeing whatâs in our toolbox and what we can improve on from last year. Hopefully we can use Mondayâs test day to make some gains before the start of the season.â
Jamie Whincup, Team Principal, Red Bull Ampol Racing
]]>âWhat an amazing event â Toowoomba has really turned it on for us today! It was unreal to shut down Wellcamp Airport for a family fun day of race cars and planes in front of literally thousands of people, a very proud moment for us. This season launch is the biggest weâve ever seen from a Supercars team and Iâm so proud of the guys and girls at Triple Eight, alongside our longstanding co-naming rights partners Red Bull and Ampol for the tireless effort they have put in to making this event a great success for the local community. Our âLivery Landingâ kicks off an exciting season with what I believe is the most exciting young driver line-up the series has seen in Broc and Will, and I canât wait to get to The Mountain for round one.â
Triple Eight Race Engineering have revealed their striking Pro entry for the 2024 Bathurst 12 Hour, scheduled for February 16-18. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 will be piloted by Red Bull Ampol Racingâs Broc Feeney, and the teamâs newest recruit Will Brown, who will compete in his first race for Triple Eight after being signed by the powerhouse team. Joining the teamâs Supercars stars is Mercedes-AMGâs factory driver and Canadian national, MikaĂ«l Grenier.
The teamâs all Pro entry, featuring the synonymous #888, will be backed by National Storage, the leading self-storage provider in Australia and New Zealand and long-term partner of Triple Eight Race Engineering. The car will don the major backerâs iconic yellow and black corporate colours, and features support from Mercedes-AMG, LIQUI MOLY, Rotiform, Pilatus, Peak Marketing and OMP.
The teamâs 2023 Pro entry featuring Feeney, Shane van Gisbergen and Maximilian Götz qualified on the front row for the 12-hour endurance race, before crossing the line in fifth place.
Broc Feeney, Driver, Triple Eight Race Engineering
âThe Bathurst 12 Hour is one of my favorite events of the year, so I canât wait to get back there. The National Storage car looks awesome and I canât wait to see it around the mountain. Iâve been using the off season to try and get as fit as possible, and we have a test day coming up along with some Supercars preparation, so thereâs going to be plenty happening over the coming weeks. Having back-to-back events at The Mountain is going to be awesome. If I could race at Bathurst every week I would, so to do two in-a-row in some pretty cool cars is exciting. I love driving these GT cars and Bathurst is the best track for it. Itâs exciting to have Will (Brown) on the team for his first event with Triple Eight as well. To have a weekend working with him before we get to the first Supercars event is going to be pretty crucial. To have someone like MikaĂ«l and his experience join us is going to be invaluable as well. Last year, we qualified on the front row which was awesome, but we lacked in the race, so hopefully a bit more experience from myself and the team with these cars will help, and the goal is to be right up there at the end of the race against some super-fast guys in the field. Itâs going to be challenging, but thatâs why I love this race â you race against the best guys in the world on home soil.â
Will Brown, Driver, Triple Eight Race Engineering
]]>âItâs been great here at Triple Eight so far. Itâs obviously a massive change for me this year moving teams, and now doing the Bathurst 12 Hour, itâs a lot to take in very early in the year. Itâs not my first time at the 12 Hour, but itâs going to be my first race with Triple Eight. It allows myself to work closely with the team before we get to the first Supercars event the weekend after, so even though weâre going there to try and win the 12 Hour, itâs a great way for me to familiarize myself with the entire team. Itâs great to have Broc as my new teammate. Iâve known Broc for years, I knew him when he was racing Toyota 86, he actually bought my car off me and itâs great being able to work with him. Itâs funny though, youâve come from being competitors last year and now weâre teammates. We get along great and hopefully we have a lot of fun racing. Broc has done a lot of miles in these GT cars; weâve seen what heâs done in Asia which is really cool. I havenât done as much so Iâm definitely going to be looking at his footage and data, but we have a test day coming up so it will be great to learn from him and the team then.â
Triple Eight Race Engineering is thrilled to announce the signing of Will Brown who will join Red Bull Ampol Racing from 2024 on a three-year deal.
The 25-year-old is a proven race winner and one of the categoryâs most exciting talents, and the team look forward to celebrating this exciting new partnership in January 2024.
The announcement comes as the team has agreed to allow Shane âSVGâ van Gisbergen to explore his dreams to race in overseas categories in 2024 and beyond. In the meantime, the teamâs full focus is on our 2023 Championship assault.
Jamie Whincup, Team Principal, Red Bull Ampol Racing
]]>âAs weâve made clear from the very start, Triple Eight wholeheartedly supports SVGâs decision to showcase his world class talent abroad and we look forward to watching him continue to tear up the track like we witnessed in Chicago last month. Will has been on our radar for many years since he was driving an ex-Triple Eight car in the Super2 championship. He is exciting to watch on track, very personable and most importantly, a really good fit to our Triple Eight culture. The fact Broc [Feeney] and him grew up racing together and are friends away from the circuit is a bonus. Of course, we still have a fight on our hands to win the Driversâ and Teamsâ Championships this season, and that remains Triple Eightâs immediate focus.â
Will Brown unfortunately watched from the sidelines, after major damage on the opening lap took him out of the hunt.
The #9 car got away well, though was forced wide at Turn 4 by Anton De Pasquale, who then nudged Will into the wall and ended his race.
Race 28 - P14
After all night in the garage, the Coca-Cola team by Erebus worked tirelessly to have the #9 car ready for qualifying.
Starting from P11, Will did enough throughout the race to finish in P14 and help secure the 2023 Teamâs Championship. Albeit dropping a spot in the Driverâs Championship, finishing 5th, which in itself is still an outstanding achievement.
Race 28 saw Will finish up with Coca-Cola Racing by Erebus. A team that has helped him achieve 4 Poles, 9 Podiums and 4 Race Wins this season.
Will would like to extend a special thank you to the team at Erebus and wish them all the very best for season 2024 and beyond.
]]>Race 25 â P11
Will Brown started from the rear of the grid after a drive-line issue during Qualifying saw him unfortunately miss out on a lap. He was, however, on fire from the get-go.
Will was quick to make ground and moved inside the top 20 after just six laps.
The race itself was fairly uneventful, though both Coco-Cola Camaros continued to press on. Will was the mover and shaker of the day, making the most spots out of anyone, improving a total of 14 positions to claim P11 at the checkered flag.
Race 26 â P11
Will Brown recorded the second fastest time in Qualifying, however, tapped the tyre barrier at the first chicane in the Top Ten Shootout, recording a lap good enough for P8 on the grid.
Moving up to P6 during the race, a five second time penalty for a kerb infringement as well as a late Safety Car saw Will finish the race in P11.
The results from the Gold Coast 500 still see Will holding on to 3rd spot in the Drivers Championship with one round to go in Adelaide from the 23rd-26th November.
]]>Race 24 - P8
The #9 Camaro needed rapid repairs to make it back out for qualifying after locking up and going in to the barriers at Griffins Bend. More bad news followed as Will only managed P17 after his best lap was cancelled due to causing the earlier red flag.
As the race got underway, Will Brown went on the move from the beginning, gaining a whopping 12 positions before handing the car over to Jack Perkins in P5, who exited pit lane just as the first Safety Car was called on lap 27.
The second Safety Car of the race was called on lap 40, resulting in a double stack for Will. The wait for the #9 car dropped Will to P14 on the rejoin.
On lap 84, Jack handed the car back to Will in 11th place and from there Will soldiered forward to secure a top ten finish for car #9, crossing the line in P8.
This result sees Will jump back up to 3rd in the current standings as he heads to the Gold Coast 500 in just over two weeks time.
]]>Race 23 - P4
Coca-Cola Racing by Erebus locked out the front row of the 2023 Sandown 500.
Will Brown beat off his teammate Brodie Kostecki by a tenth of a second to claim his first pole at Sandown, and his fourth for the season.
Will partnered up with Jack Perkins for this years event and were dominant all day, comfortably sitting inside the top three for the majority of the race.
A late Safety Car period with 20 laps to go brought the field back together, as Will and Brodie went on maximum attack for the final laps.
With 5 laps to go it was all but done as Will made a small but costly error. The #9 pilot hit a gear too many on the downshift and shot off to the grass, giving away P3 the Shane Van Gisbergen and ultimately finishing in P4.
]]>Race 20 â DNF
Will Brown started Race 20 from P8 and found himself on the outside of Turn 1 facing the opposite direction on the opening lap.
The first-corner clash was deemed a racing incident, though ultimately came from Jack Le Brocq who was squeezed and left with nowhere to go but into the rear bumper of Will, ending his race.
Race 21 â P13
Starting from P16, Will got away well and moved up two spots at the start to P14 before the end of the first sector.
Much like Race 20, there was drama on the opening lap with multiple cars rotating in the middle of the pack at Turn 6. Will narrowly avoided the clash and with some precision driving, squeezed through the other side and moved into P10.
The #9 pilot reported his rear tyres had started to go on lap 7, before stopping for fresh rears on lap 8.
Will was effectively P9 at the mid-way point, though with those behind with fresher rubber, he could only hold on for so long. Broc Feeney got up on the inside of the Coca-Cola Camaro on lap 16, and as they bang doors on the run to the final corner, Andre Heimgartner and James Courtney capitalised on the bump and run, and got by Will who ended up P13 at the end.
Race 22 â P13
Will moved inside the top ten from P13 on the grid, though had a moment on lap 5 which saw him drop back to the rear of the mid-field.
By the conclusion of the race, Will had worked his way back to P13 before receiving the checkered flag.
Ultimately, the troubled weekend sees Will drop to 4th place in the Drivers' Championship, 258 points behind teammate Brodie Kostecki.
]]>Race 1 â P1
Will Brown led from start to finish in the opening race of the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series at Queensland Raceway, as he continues his dominant weekend.
Brown made the most of being the only driver on the front row, pushing his gap out to the best part of a second over the Honda of Tony DâAlberto in the opening stanza of the race, continuing to stretch his lead as the race progressed.
At the halfway point, Brown had a gap of over five seconds on the Honda of DâAlberto, who was beginning to fall into the clutches of Zac Soutarâs Audi in third.
The second half of the race settled into a rhythm after the frantic opening stages, as Brown continued to increase his margin.
Brown made the most of the conditions finishing with over ten seconds in hand on the rest of the field.
Race 2 â P3
Will Brown, having finished P1 in Race 1, was demoted to P10 on the grid for Race 2 by virtue of the reverse top ten grid. Brown made a demon of a start and had his sights on a podium finish by lap five.
By lap 15, the top three cars were covered by a second, as Brown began to put serious pressure on Aaron Cameron fir second, but was ultimately unable to make his way past the Peugeot, finishing in P3.
Race 3 â P1
MPC Team LIQUI MOLYâs Will Brown has capped off a brilliant weekend in the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series by claiming victory in the final race as chaos reigned behind.
It was an even start off the front row between Brown and Tony DâAlberto, though Aaron Cameron made a great start from fourth in the Team Valvoline GRM Peugeot, and jumped to the inside of DâAlberto, leaving the reigning champion on the high line into turn one.
Brown had control of the field when the green flag came out on lap six, and promptly began to drive off into the setting Queensland sun, as DâAlberto set about trying to minimise the damage his ten second penalty would inflict.
Brown had nearly six seconds in hand over Cameron when the Safety Car was called for the second time on lap eighteen after Kody Garlandâs miserable weekend ended in retirement on the side of the track entering turn six, setting up the one lap dash.
]]>Race 18 â P3
Starting fourth on the grid for Race 18, Will claimed his 9th podium this year with a third place.
His start was executed to perfection. As the lights went out, his Coca-Cola Camaro got the jump on Andre Heimgartner and Cam Waters as he tucked in behind Brodie Kostecki who would eventually go on to claim victory. Will took his first compulsory pit stop at the end of lap 16, though got jumped by Cam Waters in the pit lane, after the #6 driver took on less fuel.
With the race entering its nail-biting final moments, Will increased pressure on Waters for P2. He went for a move, but was pushed wide. This invited Chaz Mostert and Shane Van Gisbergen to the party for a four-way battle for the final two places on the podium.
The battle intensified as Van Gisbergen attempted to overtake Will in a high stakes move on the final lap. It caused a momentary setback though Will re-claimed the last spot on the podium after a penalty was given, after the checkered flag.
Race 19 â P14
Starting from P10, Will was caught in a four-car battle into Turn 1. The side-to-side melee saw Will sent into a high-speed spin across the grass, before he was able to gather it up, albeit now last.
Over the remainder of the race he continued to smash out quick lap times, eventually finishing in P14 at the checkered flag. This result sees Will finish outside the top 10 for the first time since Race 7 in Perth.
The team remain on top of the Team's leader board, while Will holds onto his position in the Driver's tally.
]]>Race 16 â P1
Starting fourth on the grid for Race 18, Will claimed his 9th podium this year with a third place.
Will led more than half of the race, after grabbing his 4th career pole position and his 3rd of 2023.
The #9 pilot got a great start and led the pack through the first complex, though Shane Van Gisbergen got a bit too eager and drove them wide and down to 4th.
He moved quickly back into podium contention though, making it past Van Gisbergen before he turned his focus to Broc Feeney. Will made a move stick on lap 16 before he closed the gap to Cam Waters and overtook him for the lead 7 laps later.
Will re-gained the lead of the race on lap 42 as Chaz Mostert pitted for his second of three stops, opting for an alternate strategy.
The raceâs only Safety Car bunched the field up on lap 69 and made it a fight to the finish. Will never blinked and was quick to take control of the race for the final time. The win marks Willâs 5th of his career.
Race 17 â P6
Starting from P9, Will faced a temporary setback, slipping to P11 on the opening lap. However, set impressive lap times to regain a position inside the top ten.
The race took an unexpected turn on lap 35 when debris on the track from Cameron Hillâs car prompted the deployment of the safety car. While some cars took the opportunity to pit, Car 9 remained on track, assuming the race lead for the restart on lap 38.
Following the restart, Will continued to impress with his speed, climbing to P3 before his second pit stop on lap 57.
Will overtook Bryce Fullwood on the penultimate lap to secure an impressive sixth position at the raceâs conclusion.
]]>Race 13 â P7
Will Brown was the biggest mover of the day at Hidden Valley, ultimately finishing in a commendable 7th position.
Despite being hindered by James Golding during qualifying, the Will started in a lowly 19th position and swiftly climbed five spots by the end of the opening lap.
A fire incident involving Cam Waters prompted the deployment of the first Safety Car on lap 4, leading to a double stack. Brodie Kostecki led the team into the pit, making a brief stop, followed by Willâs pit stop.
Upon the restart, Will found himself in 12th place. As the race resumed, Will continued to advance, impressively making his way up to P8 before the completion of the lap 10.
On lap 15, a grass fire necessitated the second Safety Car, bunching the field up for a final time.
Will delivered an outstanding performance, making a remarkable gain of 12 positions and finishing in an impressive 7th place.
Race 14 â P5
Starting from P5, Will quickly moved to P4 before the end of the opening sequences.
Will, who closely followed Shane Van Gisbergen, took his compulsory pit stop at the completion of lap 9 for two new rear tyres.
With 9 laps to go, Brodie Kostecki went by Will for P4, leaving Will to finish in P5.
Race 15 â P6
The last instalment of the weekend started with Will from P5 on the grid.
Will took his compulsory stop on lap 15, before re-joining and passing Mark Winterbottom for effective P4 on lap 18.
With the move at Turn 1 under investigation, Will was unfortunately handed a 5-second time penalty for what he thought was a non-event.
The #9 driver later crossed the finish line P4, though dropped to P6 with the penalty applied.
]]>Race 10 â P1
Will Brown has converted his third career pole position into another race win in Race 10 at Symmons Plains Raceway.
Will got away well as the race got underway and began to build a lead over his competitors, pitting at the halfway mark for two drivers-side tyres.
At the end, Will took the teamâs fourth win this season and his second in just as many rounds.
In the overall Driver's Championship, Will has closed the gap and moved up to P3.
Race 11 â P3
Starting from P3, Will got away well and swiftly overtook Broc Feeney to move into second place.
With no team orders and quicker lap times, Will got by Brodie Kosteckie to take the lead on lap 4, as the two Coca-Cola Camaros built a gap on the field.
After taking his compulsory stop, pitting for two rear tyres, Will eventually claimed his 10th career podium in 3rd.
Race 12 â P1
Will Brown started Race 12 from P2 after Erebus took a qualifying clean sweep for the final race of the weekend, with just 0.0029-seconds splitting the two Coca-Cola Camaros.
Will was off to a flyer and soared past his teammate on the start to take the lead. The Erebus duo pulled away from the field before car #9 took his compulsory stop on lap 22. With fresh rears for the remaining 19 laps, he charged towards the checkered flag in dominating fashion.
Will's fourth career win and third of the season sees him move up to 2nd in the Driver's Championship.
]]>Race 33 - P22
Off the start from P16 Brown got squeezed before the opening complex but managed to make up 3 spots before the end of the opening lap and was among the first to take his first compulsory pit stop for fuel and tyres on lap 8.
Brown was double stacked in the Pit Stops under Red Flag which meant waiting in line and dropping 11 spots by the time he rejoined.
Thinking quick on their feet, the crew called Brown into pit lane another two times before racing went green, using as much fuel as possible and ensuring they now had enough fuel on board to make it home.
The race restarted but Brown only made it a few corners before the next yellow flag, when Todd Hazelwood went off at Turn 5 after a touch from Cam Waters, and ricocheted off the barrier and into Brown as he went by.
The #9 made it back to the pits for lengthy repairs and Brown re-joined the race with enough time to reach the minimum laps required to be deemed a finisher in P22.
Race 34 - P6
In Sundayâs Race, Brown held onto his P7 starting position but an early coolsuit failure spelt trouble as the car #9 cabin rose to 55 degrees.
As the first Safety Car was deployed on lap 18, the crew prepared to fix Brownâs cool suit in addition to regular pit stop proceedings and fortunately, the issue was quickly resolved and Will rejoined the field without losing any time.
Brown took his final stop on lap 43, moments before the Safety Car was called and rejoined in P6.
The remainder of the race was pretty straight forward for Brown who held onto P6 from the final yellow flag until the checkered flag.
Brown finished up his season in a respectable 14th overall and with Erebus Motorsport, now looks forward to Gen3, with the 2023 season commencing at Newcastle, March 4-6.
]]>Brown had a difficult Qualifying session on Saturday and missed the shootout and began Race 31 from P17.
On the race start, Brown had a flyer and made up two spots before he made his way into Turn 5.
Pit stops started at the end of lap 8, and it was 1 lap later that the #9 driver stopped for fresh rubber and fuel.
Unfortunately, four laps later Brown made another unscheduled stop after his power steering failed heading into the beach chicane, hitting the tyre bundle on the way through and drove back to pit lane for repairs.
With only 20-minutes to get the car out and reach the minimum required laps, the crew got the car back out on lap 42, now 15 laps down.
Brown stopped for the final time on lap 62 of the race, before reaching the checkered flag on lap 85 and finishing P24.
Race 32 - P11
At the start, Brown got a flyer of a start and jumped up two spots to P12 before the first chicane.
Golding collected the tyre bundle on his way through the back section and moved it onto the circuit, Will clipping it on the way through but only collecting damage to his front bar.
The incident caused a red flag and cars parked up on the grid for around 30-minutes while cars were collected from the carnage.
Racing went green again on lap 8 and it was one lap later that Brown took his first Compulsory Pit Stop from P10 for fuel and tyres.
Â
It wasnât until lap 60 that the field had completed their second stop and settled, with Brown sitting in P12.
Randleâs car stopped on track with 15 to go and bunched the field up for the final run home, Brown pulled up behind Pye as the went into the final corner, though a light tap sent the #20 into the wall, and though the contact was unavoidable it ultimately handed him a 15-second time penalty after the flag.
The punishment dropped Will to P12 at the end, but he was promoted to P11 when Anton DePasquale was disqualified from the race.
Brown will return to the track for the final round of the Championship, the Adelaide 500 on 1-4 December.
]]>Will Brown has finished P10 at the 2022 running of the iconic Bathurst 1000 Race.
]]>Race 30 - P10
Brown qualified 10th on Saturday at Mount Panorama after an incredible effort by the crew to repair the #9 Commodore after a crash in the earlier practice session, which saw the team working to the final second to make qualifying.
Unfortunately the Top Ten Shootout was cancelled due to torrential rain and Brown didnât get an opportunity to improve his position and began the great race on the fifth row.
With all co-drivers starting the race, it was a fairly chaotic start with the Safety Car deployed six times in the first 57 laps, the first of which was on the opening lap between Turns 1 and 2, when Perkins was spun in front of the field.
Perkins limped back to the pits and gained his lap back during the second Safety Car on lap 5, when all hell broke loose at the Chase.
Throughout the 161 lap race Brown & Perkins were able to move back up the field onto the lead lap and finish P10.
Brown will return to the track in just over two weeks for the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, 28 - 30 October.
]]>Will Brown has walked away from a monster crash at Pukekohe Park Raceway in the final Supercars event at the New Zealand track.
Race 27 - P19
Brown got a ripper start from P22 in Saturdayâs race and managed to avoid a fair bit of action in the opening lap.
Once the field settled into a rhythm he had moved up 5 places to P17.
Brown stopped on lap 13 for his rear rubber and quickly returned to the field after another quick stop by the team.
The Safety Car was deployed with 10 laps to go, bunching the field up for the final run home.
Brown took the opportunity to pit, taking left-side tyres and re-joining in P20 before race went green, moving up one spot to finish P19.
Race 28 - DNF
On the opening Lap for Sundayâs first Race Brown was bumped off the road and into the pit entry barriers after contact with Mark Winterbottom.
Brown collided with the concrete pit entry walls and recorded a 56G side impact, such was the impact, that the concrete barriers were dislodged.
Luckily, Brown was cleared by the medical centre to return to the garage and was only winded.
Race 29 - DNS
As a result of the extensive damage to the #9 Boost Mobile Racing Car, Brown was unable to start the final race.
Will Brown has finished 3rd in Race 25 at the Sandown SuperSprint. Â
Race 24 - P4Â Â
Brown qualified P4 for Saturdayâs Race in the Top Ten Shootout and got away quickly on the race start, forcing Shane van Gisbergen to block from the front row. Â
Brown took his stop on lap 16 for two fresh rear tyres though unfortunately lost a spot to Anton De Pasquale who opted for the undercut, pitting a few laps earlier. Â
When the field cleansed with 12 laps to go, Will sat P4 while Brodie fought for a spot inside the top ten. Â
Cam Waters, who was on 6-lap fresher rubber, tried hard to get by #9 Holden at the end, though Brown wouldnât let him have it and held him off to finish P4 at the finish.Â
Race 25 - P3Â Â
Starting from P7 on the grid, Brown got a brilliant start and was quick down the inside on the way to turn 1, moving up to P6. Â
Taking his stop on lap 16 from P2, and with another fast stop for rears, was P4 by the time the field cleansed with 17 laps to go. Â
One of the fastest on track and on 4-lap fresher tyres, Will quickly closed the gap to David Reynolds in front. Â
He didnât muck around and got the move done at the last corner on lap 32 for the last spot on the podium, securing his first podium of 2022 and his first podium at Sandown.Â
Race 26 - P11Â Â
At lights out on the second race, Brown took off from P11 and held his position. The race was fairly processional with Brown stopping on lap 19 for his fresh rubber. Â
Brown re-joined the race in traffic and right behind James Courtney; sitting on the tail of the #5 until the very end, finally getting by with 5 laps to go. Â
Next in line was Cam Waters, and with a speedy car closed the gap from 2.7-seconds to 0.6- seconds within three laps. Â
Unable to get the move done though, Brown finished just behind in P11. Â
Collective points from all three races also sees Brown claim 4th overall for the weekend.
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Will Brown has finished P20, P7 & P6 at The Bend Motorsport Park over the weekend in Adelaide.Â
Race 21 - P20Â
Brown who got the jump from P10 and moved up two spots and another on the second lap to sit P7.Â
Brown had pit priority and was called into the box at the start of the pit window, for two left- side tyres.Â
With a busy pit lane, it was close between Jake Kostecki exiting and Brown entering the fast lane, he slowed to let Jake in front and ultimately lost time, though the Stewards still deemed it too close, and handed him a 15-second time penalty for impeding.Â
Brown crossed the line in P11 but was demoted to P20 after the penalty.Â
Race 22 - P7Â
Brown began Sundayâs first Race from P10 but the race was immediately suspended, with cars ordered to pit lane.Â
When racing resumed Brown got a mega start and quickly moved up four spots to P6.Â
After the #9 stopped on lap 5 for left-side tyres Brown rejoined the field and finished in P7.Â
Race 23 - P6
The final race of the weekend started under Safety Car due to the wet weather conditions, circulating for two laps before the field went racing.
There was a lot of movement in the field as drivers speared off track, Will included, when he dropped down to P8 after moving up to P5 at the start.
Brown found his rhythm as tyres came up to temperature and moved into P3 but later swapped places with teammate Brodie.
It was a mad dash as drivers managed their cold tyres for the final lap home, while Will just slipped out of the top 5, securing P6 at the checkered flag.
Race 19 - P11
Brown qualified P18 on Saturday and like the majority of the field, began the 88-lap race on hard tyres.
Brown had a great start and drove well throughout the opening two stints on the hard tyres before taking on the Super Soft tyre for the final laps.
Sitting in P15, Brown pushed his way up the order to finish just outside the top ten in P11 at the conclusion of the race.
Race 20 - P19
On the right-hand side of the grid, Brodie and Will got away well from P13 and P15 respectively.
Brown did his best to avoid a Lap 1 clash but dropped back to P17 in doing his best to keep his Holden on the road.
Brown battled in the mid-pack for the first two stints on the hard tyres and settled into a rhythm before swapping to the super-soft rubber for the 30-odd lap run home.
When the field cleansed for the final time, Brown sat P15 but dropped to P19, lacking car pace with the Super Soft tyre.
The Erebus Motorsport team will now head back to headquarters, with an intense focus on fine-tuning their cars ahead of the next round at Tailem Bend.
]]>Will Brown has endured a difficult weekend at the Darwin Triple Crown, finishing the race weekend with a best race result of P7. Â
Race 16 - DNF
Brown qualified P16 and picked up 2 places in the opening lap. Â
The #9 pilot went to follow his teammate past Chris Pither, though he clashed on the way through Turn 7 on lap 3.Â
Brown suffered from front-left damage and pit for repairs, though with time running out to complete the required amount of laps, he was forced to retire from the race on lap 12.Â
Race 17 - P20Â
Starting from P18, Brown was shoved onto the grass by Garry Jacobson on the exit of Turn 5 and was in prime viewing position of the mess that was about to unfold when James Courtney went into a spin, taking out Scott Pye, Thomas Randle and Todd Hazelwood. Â
Brown managed to weave his way through the mess, but dropped down to P22.Â
Brown rose through the pack and made his way to P17 before pitting for rear tyres on lap 12 but ultimately struggled to regain much of the lost ground, and rounded out the top 20.
Race 18 - P7Â
Starting P8 for the final race in Darwin, Brown got away well at lights out.Â
Brown was looking to make some moves but was getting held up by Broc Feeney and opted to pit at the end of lap 9 for rear tyres only. Â
The #9 Holden re-joined in fresh air and second in line for those that had pitted.Â
With all stops complete and ten laps left to run when racing resumed, Brown carved out some fast laps and showed good race pace. Â
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Will Brownâs Race Weekend at Winton was highlighted by a P5 finish on Sunday. Â
Race 13 - P27Â
Brown qualified an impressive 4th on Saturday as Supercars returned to Winton Raceway. Â
The Boost Mobile Racing Driver made a fast getaway and went around the outside of Turn 1 to move into 3rd and was looking strong in a podium-threatening position.Â
Brownâs race changed for the worse when he entered pit lane at the end of lap 12 for left side rubber, and the clutch in the #9 Holden failed when waiting for fresh rubber and ultimately resulted in a problem with the rear tyre going on.Â
As a result, Brown had a lengthy stopped and toppled down the field - later being ruled out of a good result when he was forced to serve a pit lane penalty for unsafe rotating wheels.Â
Race 14 - P6Â
Brown had another great Qualifying Run on Sunday and began the first race from 8th. He got a good start, and made 1 position by the end of the opening lap. The #9 pilot was one of the first to pit, stopping early on lap 5 for left-side tyres. Â
Again in podium-contention, Brown sat 3rd but was under threat for the remainder of the race by cars with fresher rubber and was bumped into 6th at the finish line. Â
Race 15 - P5Â
Lining up for the final race of the weekend, Brown began from 5th and had a cracking start to the race.Â
Throughout the relatively uneventful race, Brown held onto his 5th place position until the chequered flag and claimed his best result of the weekend.]]>Will Brownâs weekend at Wanneroo Raceway has been highlighted by a P5 finish in Sundayâs final race at the Perth SuperNight.Â
Race 10 - P17Â Â
This weekend marked the first time since 2019 that the Supercars Championship ran in Western Australia and also was Brownâs first time competing in the main game at the Perth event.Â
Brown advanced to Q3 in Saturdayâs knock-out Qualifying session but had used all his tyres up to get there.Â
He began the night race from P10, getting off the line well and racing cleanly through the opening laps until the pit stop cycles commenced. Â
Brown entered the pit lane at the end of lap 13 and the crew were quick to react for two rear tyres, but a delay on the left rear saw the #9 slow to re-join. Â
When the field was cleared, Brown sat P17 where he finished after 46 laps.
Race 11 - DNFÂ Â
On Sunday, Will began Race 11 in P6 and moved up a spot on the Race start. The race came to a big halt on lap 2 after a car was sent into the wall, causing a red-flag and almost an hour stoppage as crews worked to repair the pit wall. Â
Once the race resumed, Will was the first of the lead group to pit on lap 20, stopping for fresh left hand side tyres.Â
With a 5-second penalty handed to Cameron Waters in front, Brown was in P5 and had his sights set firmly on a podium.Â
However, Brownâs race turned on lap 35 when he came to a halt at Turn 2 after he lost power to his Holden and forced him out of the race.Â
Race 12 - P5Â Â
Brown began the final race at Perth from P7 and wasted no time moving through the lead pack, making his way to P4 by the end of lap 3. Â
Brown was P6 on the final Safety Car restart and had a successful run home, passing David Reynolds on the final lap for a P5 result.Â
Will will now prepare for the next round of the Supercars Championship at Winton Motor Raceway, from May 21 - 22.
Â
]]>Will Brown has finished P17, P23, P24 & P8 in the Australian Grand Prix over the weekend.Â
Race 6 - P17Â Â
A difficult qualifying session on Friday saw Brown start from P16, but he had a solid start, immediately gaining 2 positions out of the first corner.Â
Brown stopped for Tyres on lap 3 & 2 laps later recorded the fastest lap of the race - setting the new race lap record in the process.Â
Brown was on the charge and moved into P6 before delaminated rear tyres meant he was forced to take a secondary pit stop, swapping back to the hard compound. Â Â
Rejoining near the rear of the field, Brown continued the fight and both gained 4 spots in the final laps to finish P17.Â
Â
Race 7 - P23Â Â
Brown put the pedal to the metal and gained 5 spots by the end of the opening lap and  later quickly took his compulsory stop under Safety Car, though congestion in the fast lane meant Will couldnât get out of his box, and dropped six spots in the process.  Â
A second Safety Car was deployed on lap 10 and when racing resumed, Brown was forced to serve a pit-lane penalty for an earlier incident with Andre Heimgartner. Â Â
The drive-through saw the #9 Holden fall down the order, from P15 to P23, before the checkered flag.Â
Race 8 - P24 Â
Brown started from P13 in Saturdayâs second race and gained a spot in the race start. Â Â
When the pit stop sequence was complete Will was driving well in P8, but the complexion of the race changed when tyre trouble struck again; a delaminated left-front forcing Will to complete a secondary pit stop with 2 laps to go.Â
Brownâs additional stop saw him finish in P24.Â
Race 9 - P8Â Â
Brown achieved his best result on the final day at the Australian Grand Prix while celebrating his 50th Supercars race. Â
Brown got an impressive start and was quick off the line to make up 4 spots by the first corner. Â
The Safety Car was called that same lap as another car couldnât get off the starting grid, and as racing resumed Brown had their elbows out.
Will pit at the end of lap 4 for fresh rubber and 12 laps later, the field was cleansed and Will was running P9.Â
The laps that followed were fairly straight forward until Shane van Gisbergenâs tyre blew with 2 laps to go which saw Will gain a position.Â
Will raced raced hard right until the checkered flag and after a 5-second penalty was handed to Cameron Waters, Will finished in P8.
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Will Brown has finished P13, P12 & P15 in the Tasmania SuperSprint over the weekend.
Race 3 - P13
After a tough qualifying session, Will had a strong start from P18 and moved up 4 spots to P14 on the first lap.Â
He continued his run and moved up to P12 before making a late dive for pit lane.
The Boost Mobile Racing powered by Erebus crew reacted ever so quickly and performed the perfect pit stop before sending Will on his way with new rear tyres.
Will made it as high as P11 before a small off saw him drop to P13 before the finish line.
âWe struggled during practice and tried to make our car a bit better, qualified P18 which was pretty disappointing. We didnât race too bad, made it up to 11th but got some bad brake fade and ran off the track.â
Race 4 - P12
On Sunday, Will endured another difficult qualifying run to start P24 and P23 for the afternoonâs races.Â
When Race 4 got underway, Will had a good start and survived the opening lap chaos to jump 2 places before the yellow flags came out that same lap.
It quickly turned into a red flag as marshals worked to clear up the crashed cars at the final corner, before the race resumed at the end of lap 5.
Will moved ahead two more places to P12 before the checkered flag, making up an impressive 12 spots throughout the 44 lap race.
Race 5 - P15
Will had his work cut out from him in the final race of the weekend, starting back in P23.
As the lights went out, Will started well and instantly started making his way through the field.Â
Will was the fastest car outside of the top 3 and pushed forward until stopping at the end of lap 22 for his pit stop.Â
Taking rear tyres also, Will used his rubber to continue to make ground and passed a notable 8 cars to finish P15.
âSunday wasnât our best day either, we had high hopes that we had fixed the car, but to qualify P23 & P24 proved that we didnât. In the race we passed a lot of cars, got up to P12 & P15. Got a bit of work to do, Iâm sure we will bounce back - just got to press on!â
]]>Will Brown started the season in spectacular fashion, finishing P7 & P8Â in the Sydney SuperNight opener.
Starting from 5th on the grid, Will got off to a flying start and went around the row in front to slot into 3rd before the first corner.
Will on the went for a two-stop pit strategy, when the field finally settled for the final stint, Will was speedy and looking primed for a podium position with 20 laps to go.
The #9 Commodore ragged it around the Western-Sydney circuit, using all his tyres in the process.  Will hold on for as long as he could though unfortunately fell down the order before the finish line.
Starting from P23 in Sundayâs Race after a tough qualifying, Will wasted no time picking off the cars in front and wrangled his tyres around Sydney Motorsport Park, fighting his way into the Top 10 by lap 5.
Rain wreaked havoc on lap 62 and saw the field scramble for pit lane, stopping for wet tyres for the final sprint home. The Safety Car made a third and final appearance and bunched the field back up for a wild sprint to the finish line.
At the end of the 300km race, Will had moved up 15 spots to sit P8Â at the checkered flag.Â