For sure, Broc Feeney proved he’s a driver of the absolute highest caliber this weekend at Hidden Valley Raceway. He was awarded pole position for the opening two Supercars races. This begins yet another chapter in the giant’s increasing legacy at the Darwin racetrack. In recent years he has thrived there. Feeney has now won both races at Hidden Valley Raceway in 2024. With just a single additional victory to his credit compared to last season, he’s looking to build on his championship advantage over teammate Will Brown, who is 72 points back.
The weekend opened up with impressive speed during Friday’s practice sessions. Ryan Wood did very well, showing immense talent and potential, and creating high hopes for a potentially very competitive race. Worries started to creep about the reliability of Ford engines in the taxing Darwin climate. Wood expressed these concerns, stating the engines seemed to lack an underspeed option compared to their competitors.
Qualifying Highlights
It was in the opening qualifying session where the new star Feeney lit really shined, taking pole position over Anton De Pasquale by only five-hundredths of a second. De Pasquale, racing for Team 18, had a strong finish, but wasn’t quite able to keep pace with Feeney. Cam Waters performed admirably, clocking in with the third-fastest time at 1:05.993.
Broc Feeney expressed his excitement after securing double pole positions, stating, “I’m stoked. Double pole here was awesome.” His confidence is warranted, considering his recent success and the momentum he has created at Hidden Valley.
Brown teammate Will Brown experienced a difficult qualifying session, ending up with 14th best time. Brown found it hard to know why he didn’t have the pace on super soft tires through the second session. He noted, “That lap I didn’t really make any mistakes anywhere. I just sort of lost time throughout the lap,” suggesting that his performance did not meet his expectations.
Team Dynamics and Performance Analysis
The sharp contrast in their performances between Feeney and Brown is a microcosm for the battle taking place inside that offensive line’s unit. Chaz Mostert acknowledged the difficulties faced by both cars during qualifying, admitting, “I’ll have to put my hand up on this one. Probably steered the car down the wrong path this weekend so far.” Mostert’s comments reflect an understanding of the challenges inherent in racing, especially when teams are striving for peak performance.
He further emphasized Wood’s performance by stating, “Woody’s been doing a fantastic job. There’s a bit of data there for us. Probably both cars weren’t quick enough on the supersoft.” That’s a sign of a great team culture to work together as a team to understand what went well and what didn’t and focus on improvement going forward.
Looking Ahead
With the first of the Supercars races fast-approaching, Broc Feeney will hope to keep his momentum going and make the most of his pole positions. The onus is now on Will Brown to find a way to do enough to improve his standing and close that gap in the championship race. With the unpredictable nature of racing and the wide range of factors affecting performance, everyone from fans to competitors will be glancing over their shoulders.
It’s going to be an exciting weekend! Drivers like Broc Feeney looking to continue their winning ways, and others like Will Brown fighting to break bad luck and adversity. Each second is precious as they make their way around the intricate turns of Hidden Valley Raceway. Their passion to compete and win pushes them onward!
