That was the word from the man himself following a return to winning ways at the recent Tasmania Super440.
While the majority of the fallout from Adelaide has centred around the controversial clash with Ryan Wood, an engine problem ultimately ended Feeney’s title hopes.
It was an issue that had reared its head throughout the weekend but did not result in an engine change.
That painful experience helped Feeney find his voice, which has proven a valuable asset as the team develops around its new Ford package this season.
“I have changed, there’s no doubt about that,” Feeney told Fox Sports, reflecting on the Adelaide saga after snapping a nine-race win drought.
“I’m certainly a lot more… I know what I want now and I’m probably a lot more vocal about it. That’s something I learned from Adelaide last year.
“The engine trouble that I had, which decided my championship, I had that problem from the start of the weekend and I was vocal about it.
“But now I feel like I’ve been around for enough [time] and, I shouldn’t say won enough races, but for the team to really listen to me.
“I’m probably putting my foot down a little bit more on a couple of things this year and just really using my voice to express my feelings.
“After a few more years and learning new cars, I sort of start to know what works for me.
“We’ve all been working so hard together and it’s certainly not me, it’s the rest of the team that has done a great job over the the last couple of weeks and put us in this position.”
Feeney is currently in his fifth full-time Supercars season having graduated to the main game with Triple Eight following victory in the Super2 Series.
He finished his rookie year sixth in the championship, before chalking up third, second and third in the most recent campaigns.
“I came in under Shane [van Gisbergen], one of the best ever, and I learnt so much off him in a couple of years,” Feeney continued.
“When he left the team to go to the States, it was like, ‘OK, we have to step up’.
“Both me and Will [Brown] were pretty fresh in our careers and had to step up and take that lead.
“To be honest that first year, ’24, was really tough for me because I felt like I put in so much hard work and he just had the edge over me all year and I just wasn’t able to find my way.
“I think last year I made a big step forward in my self confidence and belief and was able to tick off those races.
“But I think this year I know more what I want now. Everything when I’m at the race track or away from the race track, I’m very particular.”
Feeney leads the championship after five rounds over Grove Racing’s Matt Payne and Dick Johnson Racing’s Brodie Kostecki.
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