![Broc Feeney leads Will Brown in Race 12 of the Supercars Championship at Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin. Image: InSyde Media](https://speedcafe.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/MH1_5042-1024x683.jpg)
Triple Eight Race Engineering has won eight of the 12 Repco Supercars Championship races held thus far in 2024, Feeney with five of those.
However, it is Brown who has been the more consistent, leading the championship by 108 points with podium finishes in every race but one thus far, versus a total of eight for his team-mate.
That margin grew to as much as 136 at the conclusion of the Wanneroo event, before Feeney won both races at the Betr Darwin Triple Crown.
In both, he qualified on the front row and thus Car #88 always enjoyed track position over Car #87, which would seem to have been decisive when they finished one-two in the Sunday encounter at Hidden Valley.
Asked by Speedcafe if their intra-team battle for championship supremacy is fun, Feeney agreed, while noting the fine margins between them.
“It’s great fun,” he said.
“Obviously, I’m sure we both prefer beating each other but we’ve had our days.
“I suppose we accepted that at the start of the year; there’s probably going to be days we win and days where we don’t.
“But, it’s been good. I obviously just like the challenge of someone really pushing you.
“Obviously, when it’s in the same equipment, you know you’ve got to be on your best and it’s just moments like the shootout and that; qualifying is obviously really important.
“So, the first person you sort of look at on the board’s your team-mate, to see where they’re at.
“It’s been great fun. I’ve really enjoyed working with Will. We’re always joking around about everything, we’re always happy when we get out of the car for each other.
“So, it’s been good fun, and looking forward to plenty more.”
Given the somewhat processional nature of the two races at Hidden Valley, the importance of Feeney’s Sunday shootout performance becomes even greater in hindsight.
He vaulted from a provisional eighth on the starting grid to pole, while Brown dropped from first to third in the one-lap dash and hence, despite a good start, was under the rear wing of the #88 Camaro at the first braking zone.
Asked for his thoughts on the championship battle with Feeney, he said, “You always love to just be pulling away, but I think it’s been cool.
“It’s similar to what Brodie [Kostecki] and myself had last year [as Erebus Motorsport team-mates].
“Broc’s very fast. Like, I think that whole last stint of that race, we were probably both nearly doing qualifying laps; we were within a tenth or two each lap and they were fast laps.
“So, it’s cool, it makes you work harder; you know you can’t make a mistake out there.
“I was trying to get close enough to try and pressure him and see, but, experience and being as good as he is, he’s not going to make a mistake.
“So, definitely, I think before the round and over the round, that makes you work a lot harder.
“Broc’s done an amazing job this year in qualifying. I need to step up my qualifying and do a better job.”
Both Triple Eight drivers were open over the Hidden Valley weekend about where they are weaker compared to the other, with Feeney drawing attention to Turn 6, for example.
The importance of qualifying, though, was evident when Brown spoke in his parc ferme television interview.
“I need to look at qualifying; he’s been getting me in qualifying,” he admitted.
Queried further on that, Brown was blunt about his plan.
“Just don’t stuff it up,” he laughed.
“I made a fair few mistakes this weekend in qualifying.
“I was fast in practices but, when it mattered, I just didn’t execute as good as Broc did, so I’ve got to look at it.”
The season continues at the NTI Townsville 500 on July 5-7.