This weekend in Adelaide, veteran driver Chaz Mostert confronts what he describes as a 'now or never' moment in his pursuit of a maiden Supercars championship. The Walkinshaw Andretti United star finds himself in the closest title fight of his career, sitting just 20 points behind series leader Broc Feeney heading into the first-ever Supercars grand final.
Veteran Versus Prodigy: The Championship Battle
Mostert, a two-time Bathurst 1000 winner, has never been better positioned to claim the championship after a stunning performance in the finals series. The 33-year-old kicked off his campaign with a spectacular clean sweep of the Gold Coast 500 before claiming victory in the first Sandown 500 race.
Mostert has only managed third place in the championships on three previous occasions (2024, 2022, 2021), making this his best opportunity to break through for that elusive title.
"I've been in championship hunt once or twice before, but never been able to really make it to the final round," Mostert admitted. "It's a pretty unique position for me to be in, and our whole team. I'm excited, had a couple of good races lately, which has been good, and feeling confident."
The Challengers and Potential Spoilers
Triple Eight prodigy Broc Feeney maintains his slender lead after having the final say at Sandown Raceway. The 23-year-old, who won this year's Sprint Cup trophy, has been formidable this season with 13 wins and 16 pole positions - a performance that would have virtually secured the championship under the old points format.
Defending champion Will Brown, Feeney's teammate, sits in third position, while Grove rookie and South Australian product Kai Allen completes the final four contenders.
Mostert acknowledged the challenge ahead, noting: "These three boys behind me will make that really, really tough this weekend."
The championship battle won't be the only drama unfolding on the track. Several eliminated drivers remain determined to finish their seasons strongly, with three races across the weekend offering ample opportunity for others to claim victory.
Tickford ace Cam Waters and reigning Bathurst 1000 winner Matt Payne will be seeking redemption after a disastrous collision at Sandown denied them a grand final berth. Walkinshaw Andretti United teammate Ryan Wood is also among those eliminated but still racing for pride.
Experience Versus Youth in Adelaide Decider
Mostert brings the most experience to the finals, having made his Supercars debut back in 2013. Despite his veteran status, he's entering uncharted territory as a genuine championship contender in the final round.
Feeney, meanwhile, has proven his capability in Adelaide, having finished on the podium at least once since claiming his first career win in 2022.
Mostert highlighted the potential impact of drivers no longer in championship contention: "A lot of the guys this year that aren't in the finals will be racing for themselves. They've got 50,000 reasons why to race for themselves on Friday, Saturday, Sunday."
He added from personal experience: "It's always good to finish with a win in the championship, even I've come here a couple of times before and not been in the championship hunt. Surely, there's some guys with teammates that aren't in the finals that might be a little bit kinder, but at the end of the day they still want to win just as much as anyone else."
The first practice session gets underway at 3.45pm AEDT on Thursday, setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying weekend of motorsport action in Adelaide.
