A reduced prize pool is part of a reshaped deal between Supercars and qualifying sponsor Boost Mobile confirmed following last weekend’s season-opener.
Pole winners at the Sydney 500 received a new-look Boost Mobile Pole award, with no novelty ‘SIM card cheque’ signifying a cash prize.
Boost had significantly upped the pole money since taking over the property from Armor All in 2024, with last year’s total funds reaching $120,000.
That included $1000 per Sprint Cup pole, $5,000 for each Enduro Cup and Finals Series pole and $50,000 to the driver who scored the most poles across the season.
This year the Bathurst pole will carry $20,000 and the season prize remains at $50,000, while the remainder have been scrapped.
Publicly disclosed prize money is a rarity in Supercars as the category distributes payments to owners of the Teams Racing Charters that underpin each entry equally, rather than based on results.
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The other regular cash prize is the $20,000 Pirtek Pit Stop Challenge, while Adelaide Grand Final organisers awarded $50,000 to the winner of its Friday race in 2025.
Broc Feeney dominated the pole awards last year. His 19 poles and overall pole award prize meant he took $93,000 of the total $120,000 pool.
The money is generally kept by teams, with Feeney last year quipping his qualifying success would guarantee Triple Eight a “pretty cool Christmas party”.
A new deal between Boost Mobile and Supercars announced today is set to run through to the end of 2028.
Boost continues to own naming rights for Qualifying, the Pole Award and the Gold Coast 500 event that opens the Finals Series.
The telco is now also sponsoring radio transmissions on the television broadcasts and is a ‘presenting partner’ of the championship’s motorsport department.
Boost Mobile CEO Bobby Geldens heralded the new deal as “bigger and better than ever” as the brand attempts to align itself with communication and technology tools within the sport.
“This partnership has always been about more than brand signage at events – it’s about connection, innovation and enhancing the fan experience for a sport that thrives on speed, reliability and performance,” he said.
“By deepening our role as Supercars’ connectivity and motorsport tech partner, we’re helping power the championship with leading connectivity to bring fans closer to the action.
“We can’t wait to see what the next three years deliver.”
Boost Mobile was founded by Peter Adderton and Paul Keating and sold to current owner Telstra at the end of 2024.
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