Chevrolet are Supercars winners for the first time since February, after Anton De Pasquale dominated the final race of the Darwin Triple Crown.
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Team 18 pulled the right reign strategically, emulating Kai Allen’s winning strategy from Saturday’s race to lead home Matt Payne under Safety Car, while Cam Waters rounded out the podium to secure the overall Darwin Triple Crown.
Anton De Pasquale celebrates with Team 18 crew.Source: Getty Images
Speaking after the win De Pasquale shrugged over recent criticism of the team to claim their second win of the year.
“We had to do a good stop to get in front … it’s awesome to be back on the podium,” he said.
“You hear outside noise but we don’t really listen to it – we run our own development path.
“You can’t make good teams overnight – we’re aware of that.
“We’re working our way and building and building.”
Admitting the late safety car caused by Chaz Mostert’s engine failure with four laps to go “made me a little bit nervous”, de Pasquale was able to cruise the win without challenge under the yellow flag.
But the same can’t be said for Red Bull Racing’s Broc Feeney who was left fuming by his team’s call that couldn’t be undone under safety car.
With teammate Will Brown showing great pace behind, a swap of positions was orchestrated, on the proviso that Brown would give the position back should he be unable to catch Waters. But that never eventuated due to the yellow flag.
“A challenging weekend, one of the most challenging weekends I’ve had in my career, it feels,” Feeney said in a team release.
“Probably a tough pill to swallow, not just because of our results here over the last few years, but we know what we’re capable of doing and, at the moment, we’re not doing that. We’re far from that.
Anton De Pasquale claimed a second win for Team 18 in 2026.Source: Getty Images
“We were just on the back foot the whole weekend. There are a couple of things we’ve been working on, but from the get-go, we felt like we were a little bit down on power compared to the other cars out there — even the same manufacturer, the other Mustangs.
“So we felt like that’s been a bit of a hurdle all weekend, trying to get on top of that. But also, car pace just hasn’t been there overall.”
“We unfortunately lost the teams’ championship [lead], which hurts a little bit, but Broc’s still leading the drivers’ championship, so it’s not all doom and gloom. No panic stations. But it was a tough weekend by our standard,” team boss Jamie Whincup said.
“Now I’ve just got to try and calm a few drivers down and group everyone together.”
There was drama even before the race with Brodie Kostecki withdrawing, followed by Thomas Randle a short time later.
Randle had battled heat stress due to a failed cool suit on Saturday while Kostecki was battling both illness and a back complaint that saw the star taken to hospital.
“I knew Brodie was unwell probably a week ago when we caught up at a sponsor event,” his replacement Todd Hazelwood told Supercars.com.
“Obviously been talking with him and monitoring his situation. I’m always here to help Brodie wherever I can. I helped out a lot on early in the week with Track to Town and tried to give him some time.
Thomas Randle was forced out of Sunday’s race with heat stress.Source: FOX SPORTS
“The team’s been communicating with me that there is potentially a possibility of having to jump in, particularly this morning.”
Fox Motorsport’s own Mark Winterbottom was the late call-up for Randle, jumping from his on-air role into a race suit in the space of an hour.
“The biggest drama was jumping in and putting my foot on the brake the first time and the cushion insert I had slid down … I couldn’t really see over the wheel for the next 70 laps!” he laughed.
“We were talking on the grid … then I had to run back get on the scales to get weighed, had to go to a driver’s briefing because I hadn’t done one (laughs).
“I definitely could do a lot better job with a bit more prep.
“But how fun! One o’clock I’m talking to you, two o’clock I’m in the race seat.”
All eyes were on Waters and Matt Payne off the front row of the grid, as they resumed their heated battle from Saturday, and the Fords were very evenly matched off the line.
But remarkably, for the first time since 2012, the winner didn’t start from the front row of the grid across all three days in Darwin as Team 18’s pit strategy paid off.
Payne claimed second while Waters’ third place saw him named the round’s winner – and move into third on the championship standings.
“It’s been a tough year – to have a really nice consistent weekend, it’s awesome. We really needed that,” he told Fox Motorsport.
Matt Payne, Anton de Pasquale and Cameron Waters on the podium for the final race in Darwin.Source: Getty Images
“When you’re not going well, you question yourself, the guys question themselves.
“There’s always times you start questioning things … been at Tickford for a long time – we’ve got each others backs. We’ll keep digging deep together.
“The job’s not over – it’s one weekend.”
Will Brown and Broc Feeney finished fourth and fifth for Red Bull Ampol Racing, the pair having swapped places late in the race, with Allen finishing sixth.
The top 10 was rounded out by Ryan Wood, Jack Le Brocq, Cameron Hill, and David Reynolds.
The 2026 Repco Supercars Championship continues at the NTI Townsville 500 from July 10-12.