James Golding leads late in the Great Race. Image: Supplied
On one hand it was a breakout day for the squad as James Golding starred on Supercars’ biggest stage with a drive that netted the team’s second ever podium.
But then there was the pain of leading across the line only to be demoted to third by a time penalty, and the fact Golding is leaving at the end of the season.
A disappointing first half of the year for the Gold Coast team sparked suggestions that big changes were on the cards for 2026, with Jayden Ojeda and Declan Fraser both linked to seats.
Xiberras, though, was adamant he would not make a final call on his line-up until after Bathurst – in the lead-up to which Golding signed on with the Blanchard Racing Team.
“By the end of the year, he will have been with me for three and a half years. We’ve grown a lot,” Xiberras told Speedcafe of Golding, whose career was rescued by the team in mid-2022.
“You know, it is disappointing he’s moving on. I said to James that I’d make a decision after Bathurst. I understand his point of view, he wants to secure his future.
“All I can do is wish him well. He’s a great young man, he’s got an awesome family. I’ve really enjoyed it. Things happen for a reason. I put it down to that.
“We’ll end up with a replacement driver, and hopefully, it’ll work good for us, and we’ll charge on.”
Golding describes ‘empty feeling’ of losing Bathurst win
Speaking only hours after the finish, Xiberras also took a balanced view of a dramatic race and the clash with Erebus Motorsport’s Cooper Murray that cost a potential victory.
“Crossing the line first at Bathurst, knowing that you didn’t win, it’s a pretty bittersweet sort of a feeling to be up front,” Xiberras said.
“We’ll argue that we believe the move was on and Cooper turned into us. They’ll argue that wasn’t on and we shouldn’t have [made the move].
“But that’s racing and if there’s a hole there and you don’t go for it, well then you should give up and go play golf or collect stamps or do something else.
“It was still nice to finish on the podium. If I look back to the beginning of the weekend, a podium wasn’t even on the agenda for us. P5 and better was going to be an awesome result.
“So, to finish third and get a podium, I should be very happy, which I am, but you just think, what if? Was it the one that got away?”
Penalty adds insult to Stanaway’s brutal Bathurst 1000
There was also a sense of missed opportunity on the other side of the PremiAir garage after Richie Stanaway crashed out while running fifth just over 15 laps from the finish.
“I have no doubt that, if everything went to plan, we would have had two cars on the podium,” added Xiberras of Stanaway’s charge.
“He was moving, there’s no two ways about it. So, it was very disappointing, but you ask your drivers to push hard and sometimes this is what happens.”
Stanaway is not expected to return to the team next season, despite claiming in race week at Bathurst that he has a two-year contract with the squad.