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Kostecki scores maiden DJR pole

Brodie Kostecki at AGP

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: 12 April 2025

Brodie Kostecki has collected a breakthrough first pole position for Dick Johnson Racing at Taupo.

Kostecki’s 1:26.348 was just enough to squeeze ahead of Chaz Mostert as just 0.071s covered the Mustangs in Race 9 qualifying on the Super Soft tyre.

Broc Feeney recovered from an off to be the leading Camaro in third ahead of Will Davison.

A timing issue ensured there was the bizarre scenario of fans and viewers watching on TV being completely in the dark of what was going on in the fight for pole.

It even led to MA Race Director James Taylor stating times would need to be clarified post session.

However, it did not stop Kostecki from immediately celebrating a first pole in DJR colours.

“I am stoked with that one,” he said.

“It was not the cleanest lap at the end, but we were able to be just a bit better with two sets of tyres.

“A big thank you to the whole Shell V-Power Racing team.

“The cars are a bit ugly on the Super Soft being set up for the other tyre.

“Got a couple of good grid spots today so I’m looking forward to trying to capitalise on those.”

Qualifying 1

After the first session on Softs and a 10-minute timing delay, all 24 cars bolted on the Super Softs to chase pole for Race 9 with the initial aim to get into the top 10.

Again the Mustangs led the charge with Kostecki’s 1:26.3864 edging out Payne by just 0.0571s as Mostert and Davison ensured it was an all-Ford top four.

All of them aside from Davison stayed in the lane, rolling the dice their opening laps would be enough to progress and importantly save a set of tyres.

It ended up being worth the gamble, but only just for Mostert.

After being knocked out in Race 8 qualifying, Triple Eight found more speed to get both cars in the 10 after the opening run.

But the big story was Waters, who had set a purple second sector, but threw it away.

The Tickford star was pushing the limits and went over as locked up approaching the chicane and skipped the penultimate corner.

Waters aborted the lap and dived into the lane, putting him in the danger zone with

Ahead of the final two minutes, Allen sat on the bubble in 10th with Stanaway, Randle and Le Brocq right behind.

The decision to stay out for Davison was enough for the #17 to snag top spot from his teammate and set the pace with a 1:26.2526.

The Tickford teammates had to improve to stay alive and rose to the occasion.

Randle posted a purple first sector and Waters did the same in the second split to ensure they progressed with fourth to sixth respectively despite another chicane lock up for the Monster Mustang.

Things got nervous for WAU as Wood could not improve from 11th while Mostert dropped further down the order.

The #25 slipped from third to ninth amid the final flurry, but just held on.

It also went down to the wire for Feeney as he snuck from 12th to eighth at the death.

Rookie Allen and De Pasquale were the others to progress, while Heimgartner just missed out.

Qualifying 2

Once again an F1 style 10-car dash for pole was unleashed and three drivers held a significant advantage.

After surviving the first leg with just the solitary run, Payne, Kostecki and Mostert all enjoyed an extra set of Super Softs.

Feeney was one of the first to put the foot down, but also the first to make a mistake.

The Triple Eight driver could not get it stopped for the final turn and cut the grass.

Kostecki also had dramas late in the lap, struggling to handle the Mustang through the chicane and even finding the grass with a big slide coming out of the last corner.

But the DJR driver still did enough to record a 1:26.348, which led the way.

It turned out to be the tail of the opening minutes as drivers struggled with rear grip and match their times from earlier in the session with Payne being half a second slower.

Mostert managed to keep it together and post a 1:26.419 and fell just 0.071s short of Kostecki’s benchmark.

The Triple Eight teammates were the only cars to join the top three of Q1 in the first eight minutes.

The rest had a crack at the end, but no one could come close to the #38.

Feeney made a late leap to third, displacing Davison and Brown.

Waters put car #6 into P6 ahead of Payne, Allen, De Pasquale and Randle.

Image: Mark Horsburgh

Qualifying Race 9

Pos Driver Time

1 Brodie Kostecki 1:26.3482

2 Chaz Mostert +0.0712

3 Broc Feeney +0.1939

4 Will Davison +0.2208

5 Will Brown +0.2656

6 Cameron Waters +0.4629

7 Matt Payne +0.4829

8 Kai Allen +0.5625

9 Anton De Pasquale +0.5438

10 Thomas Randle +0.8462

11 Andre Heimgartner +0.3474

12 Ryan Wood +0.4818

13 Richie Stanaway +0.7125

14 Jack Le Brocq +0.7767

15 Cooper Murray +0.8422

16 Bryce Fullwood +0.9591

17 Cameron Hill +0.9831

18 Macauley Jones +0.9901

19 Jaxon Evans +0.9944

20 David Reynolds +0.9972

21 Nick Percat +0.9974

22 James Golding +1.1411

23 Aaron Cameron +1.5199

24 James Courtney +1.6912

Taupo Super440

Practice 1 – 1: A. Heimgartner 1:26.8830 2: Anton De Pasquale +0.0258 3: Matt Payne +0.0830

Practice 2 – 1: Ryan Wood 1:25.9778; 2: Brodie Kostecki +0.0435; 3: Thomas Randle +0.0838

Sat 8.25-8.55: Supercars Race 8 Qualifying

Sat 9.05-9.35: Supercars Race 9 Qualifying

Sat 10.50: Supercars Race 8 (37 laps)

Sat 14.05: Supercars Race 9 (37 laps)

Sun 8.35-9.05: Supercars Race 10 Qualifying

Sun 10.50-11.35: Supercars Race 10 Top 10 Shootout

Sun 13.05: Supercars Race 10 (61 laps)

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