It’s a Wrap on Saturday

Broc Feeney has won the Saturday race of the 2024 VAILO Adelaide 500 with a superfast performance that not even this year’s soon-to-be-crowned Supercars champion could beat.

His Red Bull Ampol Racing teammate Will Brown, who finished second, may not have been able to catch him in this race.

But Brown did secure the 2024 championship with his result, regardless of what happens during Sunday.

It was a historic 1-2 finish for the race team at the VAILO Adelaide 500’s 25-year celebration event that gave fans spectacular scenes to witness both on and off the track.

 

ON-TRACK ACTION

 

SUPERCARS

 

It was a Tickford Racing Ford Mustang lockout on the front row of the grid for Saturday’s 250km race, after Cam Waters and Tom Randle qualified 1-2 in the Top Ten Shootout held in the middle of the day.

Randle beat Waters to the first corner and streaked ahead, however he lost the lead to Feeney after the first round of pit stops and eventually fell to fifth.

Waters finished third.

Feeney had started in third position and Brown in fifth, the latter working his way through the field to shore up his championship win.

Brown has now secured enough championship points to take the 2024 Supercars title, regardless of Sunday’s result.

After all the crashes that have occurred in Supercars and support category sessions, it was a surprise for fans that the Saturday race was uninterrupted by safety cars.

They witnessed many drivers passing for position at all locations of the circuit so there was plenty of action on track to see.

“It’s cool to win this race again – (but Sunday’s race) is the one we want to win,” Feeney said.

 

SUPPORT CATEGORIES

 

Eight cars failed to finish the Trico Trans Am Series race, with a multi-car pile-up occurring just before the hairpin about halfway through the 25-minute race.

The engine failed in Tim Brook’s Chevrolet Camaro Trans Am as he approached the corner, creating a slippery race surface for the cars behind him.

They slid into each other and the walls, so the race was called off, with Todd Hazelwood in the lead.

The biff and barge was on from the first moments of the Tyrepower V8 SuperUte Series, with some racers not even making it through their first lap.

The safety car came out when two utes later crashed into each other in the chicane, but Adam Marjoram managed to stay out in front and brought the field home to the chequered flag.

The Dunlop Series championship edged even closer after the category’s race for the day, thanks to a brilliant start by Aaron Cameron from P2.

Cameron – second in the standings – beat pole-sitter and series leader Zach Bates off the start line to take the lead of the race, so 27 points now separate the two heading into the final race on Sunday.

 

The race was interrupted by two safety cars thanks to a collision in the staircase and another race car being damaged at Turn 8.

Late in the race, reigning champion Kai Allen took himself out of the championship hunt when he locked a brake at the hairpin and fell down the field.

Paynter Dixon Porsche Carrera Cup looked set to be won by Dale Wood – again – until Bayley Hall pulled off a pass on him at the hairpin on the final lap, snatching a last-gasp win.

It was one of few clear sessions held across the weekend in which drivers just raced with no interruptions from crashed or stricken cars.

The Boost Mobile Stadium Super Trucks again had fans enthralled with their jumps and regular changes for the lead in their race of the day.

After starting from the back of the grid, series founder Robbie Gordon quickly made his way through the field, using his experience over the jumps to his advantage.

The category was not immune to the ramifications of misjudging Turn 8 with Shae Davies damaging his SST just enough that he lost his momentary lead. Gordon won the race.

 

OFF-TRACK ATTRACTIONS

 

FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRECINCTS

 

Race fans were doing everything they could to stay cool, finding seats in the shade under the parklands trees or misted shadecloth areas.

Icecreams and iced drinks were popular treats while fans also made the most of the free water to stay hydrated in the hot conditions.

Pub in the Park was popular with patrons as a place to sit undercover and out of the breeze while many of the precinct’s bars were packed with fans.

 

AIR FORCE FLYOVERS

 

Two aerial displays put on a show for fans who craned their necks to follow their flight paths in the sky.

In the morning, the six Roulettes planes dazzled onlookers with their performance of loops and turns.

Then shortly before the Supercars race, the F/A-18F Hornet blazed over the track at 1100km/h, surprising any fan who had not been expecting its arrival with its loud engines.

The Hornet’s display was unique to Adelaide, too, with the pilot incorporating a few manoeuvres not usually used in these circumstances as a special surprise.

 

PIT PADDOCK Supercars fans streamed through the pit paddock during the day to see the Supercars teams prepare for the 250km race.

Many fans were able to snap a quick photo with their favourite Supercars driver between practice and garage preparations for the race.

As fans can see into the back of the garages from pit paddock, they also took note of how Team 18 and Matt Stone Racing had been able to repair broken race cars from major incidents at Turn 8 during qualifying.

 

SUPERCROSS TRACK

The Heritage Grandstand was a popular hangout in the middle of the day, with the seats filled with fans soaking up the atmosphere.

They watched up-and-coming Supercross riders practise on the custom-built track ahead of racing on Sunday.

Some had also secured their seats early for the Boost Mobile AusX Supercross Sprint on Saturday night