Broc Feeney is in need of a minor miracle to overhaul Triple Eight teammate and Supercars championship leader Will Brown to win the title at this weekend’s Adelaide 500 season finale, live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport.
But the 22-year-old says he wants to contend without misfortune befalling Brown, who himself puts his 180-point lead down to luck throughout the year.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Exclusive sitdown with Will Brown and Broc Feeney ahead of Adelaide title decider.
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Feeney holds a slight edge on wins this season (five to four) but Brown has finished off the podium less often (five to nine) and out of the top 10 just once (to three).
Brown’s hefty lead heading into the final round marks a turnaround from last season when he collapsed from top spot at the halfway mark to fifth at the end — something he still can’t explain.
“I don’t even know, to be honest. It was tough after that period. I don’t have a reason or know why,” he told 7NEWS.
“My old teammate (Brodie Kostecki) did a great job to go on and win the championship and he definitely deserved it.
“I felt like making the jump (to Triple Eight) with how tough that was, I wanted to hit the ground running and show why the team chose to sign me.
“That was the ultimate goal.”
Just as Brown and Kostecki tested each other at Erebus in 2023, long-time friends Brown and Feeney have gone toe-to-toe in their first year as teammates.
“Will’s probably taken me to another level and I hope it goes both ways,” Feeney said.
“Every race we’ve been next to each other, locking horns all year. We’re young, we’re fresh in our careers, similar age.
“Teammates in the same equipment — you know when you get beaten that you need to do a better job. That’s been really good this year, it’s been very enjoyable.
“We have a lot of fun off the track but when the helmet goes on we want to beat each other more than anyone else.”
Brown, 27, said he is a “big believer in having a good teammate” even if it has been a nerve-racking experience.
“I roll up every weekend thinking ‘far out, my teammate might beat me here’,” he said.
“It’s great having two strong cars in the team because you’ve got to work so hard in preparation on the weekend making sure you don’t make a mistake. We work together great, I think we’ve pushed together throughout the year.
“You just work that bit harder because you know if you don’t put in maximum effort your teammate’s probably going to beat you on that weekend.
“With how tight the championship is you know you can’t let that happen, and really I feel like it’s a little bit of luck who beats who on the race weekends and it’s just been a few points here and there.”
Brown is highly likely to wrap up the title on Saturday in the first of two 250km races, with a familiar double podium finish enough to seal it before Sunday’s finale.
Any dramas — not unheard of around the streets of Adelaide — would open the door for Feeney to take it down to the final day, but he simply wants to triumph fair and square.
“I’ve got to win two races. I don’t want anything to go wrong, I just want it to be a good, clean weekend. I don’t want to win the championship off something going wrong, that’s not how I go racing,” he said.
“I’ve got nothing to lose, I’m just going there to try and win some races. I’ve had a really good run at Adelaide the last couple of years. I’ll go there try and win a couple of races, try and win the 500.”
Large points gaps heading into the last round will be eradicated next year when Supercars introduces a NASCAR-style finals format that will keep four drivers in the mix.
Brown said he sees the pressure on him this weekend as a test run of sorts but knows all gloves will be off next year.
Adelaide 500 broadcast details
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16
Supercars shootout and support category races
Sydney, Melbourne 1pm live on 7mate and 7plus
Brisbane 12pm live on 7mate and 7plus
Adelaide 12.30pm live on 7mate and 7plus
Perth 10am live on 7mate and 7plus
Head here to watch Supercars live and free on 7plus Sport
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17
Supercars shootout and support category races
Sydney, Melbourne 1pm live on Channel 7 and 7plus
Brisbane 12pm live on Channel 7 and 7plus
Adelaide 12.30pm live on Channel 7 and 7plus
Perth 10am live on Channel 7 and 7plus
Supercars race starts at 3.45pm AEDT (3.15pm local time in Adelaide)