Brodie Kostecki claims 2023 Supercars title

The West Australian #99 Coca-Cola Camaro driver rounded out the season with an epic burnout and stood on the roof of his Erebus’ teams entry to soak up the moment he celebrated his first ever Supercars crown.

Kostecki is the 26th winner of the ATCC/Supercars Championship and ends 2023 with six victories, his first ever ARMOR ALL Pole Award with 10 pole positions and 18 podium finishes from 28 races.

His Coca-Cola Racing team, and its owner Betty Klimenko also claimed their first ever Team’s Championship following Kostecki and outgoing teammate Will Brown’s stellar season in the Chevrolet Camaros.

Aside from Kostecki’s famous Championship win, today belonged to another star on the rise – Penrite Ford Mustang rookie Matt Payne who dominated the final race of the year to win the VAILO Adelaide 500.

Payne started alongside Kostecki on the front row, and led into the opening turns. From there he wasn’t headed throughout the 78-lap, 250km affair. The Aucklander also became the 10th different driver to win a race in 2023.

It marked the second time in two years that a rookie won the Adelaide 500, with Red Bull Ampol Racing driver Broc Feeney winning the corresponding race in 2022.

Payne and Feeney, both aged 21, led home Penrite Racing veteran David Reynolds, who added to his Saturday podium with third on Sunday. The victory margin was 8.5483s, with Reynolds 11.1857s down in third.

It was the 4th consecutive win for Ford drivers from the final four races of 2023.

"Man, the car was so fast," said Payne, who debuted in the 2022 Great Race with Lee Holdsworth.

"I've got to thank Penrite Racing for the fast car, it was such a jet.

"Everyone's been working so hard here, to crack a win with Dave at the Gold Coast was amazing, and now finally I get to get my first win in Adelaide. So stoked, so proud of everyone."

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It was a heartbreaking end to full-time Supercars competition for Shane van Gisbergen, who didn’t see the chequered flag for the second day running after being forced into the lane with issues caused by tyre build-up on his #97 Red Bull Ampol Camaro.

With van Gisbergen scoring no points, and with champion-elect Kostecki and Will Brown eighth and 14th, Erebus added a maiden teams’ championship to its drivers’ title.

The end margin between Erebus and Triple Eight was 176 points, having been 161 heading into Sunday.

Kostecki’s title-winning margin was 323 points, with van Gisbergen failing to score all weekend.

Feeney ended up third ahead of Chaz Mostert, who claimed fourth overall from Brown in the final race.

Cam Waters (#43 Monster Energy Mustang), Mostert (#25 Mobil 1 Optus Mustang), Andre Heimgartner (#8 R&J Batteries Camaro) and Anton De Pasquale (#11 Shell V-Power Mustang) came home ahead of Kostecki, who celebrated with burnouts on pit straight.

Tomorrow night, Supercars drivers and teams will gather in Adelaide for the annual Gala Awards, where this year's winners of the coveted Barry Sheene Medal, Drivers' Driver and and Mike Kable Young Gun Awards will be announced.

The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship will commence at the Thrifty Bathurst 500, part of the Bathurst SuperFest, on February 23-25.