Will Brown is one of two Ford drivers left in the Top Dog Challenge. Image: Supplied
The initiative, based on NASCAR’s in-season challenge, has seen Brodie Kostecki and Will Brown put $20,000 on the line for a young driver in the Australian motorsport system.
Promoted via their Lucky Dogs podcast, the Top Dog Challenge saw all full-time Supercars nominate a young driver that would receive a $20,000 pay-out should they win the challenge.
As it stands there are four drivers left in the challenge – Kai Allen, Brown, Anton De Pasquale and Chaz Mostert.
Mostert and Allen will go head-to-head at the Bathurst 1000 as will Brown and De Pasquale, with the best performing from each bracket fighting it out for the prize on the Gold Coast.
Should either Brown or Allen prevail, the prize pool will swell to $25,000 thanks to an additional pledge of $5000 from Ford.
Kostecki and Brown have used Ford’s pledge to put pressure on General Motors and Toyota to join in.
“If it’s not a Ford driver, that’s $5000 that we’ve missed,” said Brown in a social media clip.
“Ford said Chevy and Toyota can cough up.
“It’s really cool for Ford to step in and offer that support. If myself or Kai do get through and win the Top Dog Challenge we’ll be giving away not $20,000, but $25000 to one of the young juniors, that will be really exciting.”
Allen’s junior driver pick is karter Levi Doessel while Brown has nominated GR Scholarship driver Harry Bresneshan.
Those vying for what is currently the $20,000 prize pool are GR Cup driver Jack Szewczuk (De Pasquale) and Kiwi 86 driver Chris White (Mostert).