Round 4 – Supercars Championship
PERTH, Western Australia – The momentum in the 2024 Supercars Championship continues to roll Will Brown’s way following a successful outing in Perth, where the Red Bull Ampol Racing star captured two race podiums to extend his series points lead.
After a masterclass performance last time out in New Zealand, Brown was intent on carrying that form to Western Australia, a track notorious for tyre degradation along with its tight nature bunching the field and allowing for little separation around the mid-50 second lap time.
A bumpy start greeted the #87 in the opening practice session before a wholesale turnaround followed on Saturday, where the #87 Chevrolet Camaro would sit atop the time sheets heading into the all-important knockout-style qualifying session.
There was not a cloud in sight as the stars of Australian motorsport took to the circuit in the early afternoon, with an intense 40 minutes to follow as drivers scrambled to secure their spot on the grid. When all was said and done, Brown posted a time that would see him line up in P4.
A lengthy, 55-lap encounter was on the cards as the lights went out for Race 9 of 2024, with a chess match of sorts unfolding over the opening stages of the race. The race came alive when the Red Bull Ampol Racing Team fitted four tyres to the #87 during their stop, which lit a fire underneath the Camaro as it rocketed through the field.
Climbing two positions from the start, Brown completed the race in a fast finishing second place, which earned him valuable points towards the championship.
The blue skies rolled over into Sunday’s proceedings, with the Supercars on track for their final practice session in the morning. Brown notched third in that outing, setting up for another successful day as qualifying approached.
Another 40 minutes of madness ensued as the race for pole was on, with quick debriefs punctuating the time on track as drivers put their best foot forward. For Brown, P3 was the result, setting up for another strong race.
Afternoon shadows fell on the circuit as the final race of the event got underway, with Brown again stalking the leaders as the race pace improved throughout the encounter. After a topsy-turvy race with some good hard battles, Brown crossed the line in third, earning another trophy to see out his time in the West.
With the results, Brown extends his lead to 136 in the series standings, as the championship now heads north to the Darwin Triple Crown in just under a month’s time.
“Overall, I think we consolidated really well here in Perth as we didn’t have the fastest car across the weekend,” recalled Brown. “We struggled with our starts during the event which we’ll need to look at, but the team did a mega job with the stops and strategy to keep us in the fight all the way until the end in both races. It was a good points haul here in Perth and I had a
great weekend being out here in the West. I’m excited for what the next month holds, and then get ready to come out swinging again in Darwin.”