Chaz Mostert has opened the Gold Coast 500 with a commanding victory, securing his place in the next stage of the Supercars Finals Series after mastering a wet and demanding race on the Surfers Paradise streets.
Credit: Supercars.com
The Walkinshaw TWG Racing driver started behind pole-sitter Broc Feeney, but the race began under Safety Car conditions as rain swept across the circuit. Once the field was released, Mostert wasted little time. He passed Feeney on the first green-flag lap, making his move between Turns 13 and 14, then quickly built a gap at the front.
From there, Mostert controlled the race across 85 laps. He managed the changing conditions and his tyres while his rivals battled for position behind him. By the chequered flag, he was more than 23 seconds clear, delivering a dominant win in the opening race of the weekend. His pace gave the team room to manage the finish.
David Reynolds finished second for Team 18 after a strategic call helped transform his afternoon. He brought his Camaro into the pits early from 14th, giving himself clear track and allowing the undercut to work. Reynolds gained 12 places and stayed within five seconds of Matt Payne late in the race.
Payne crossed the line ahead of Reynolds on the road, but a five-second penalty for using too much kerb dropped him to third. Anton De Pasquale was fourth, with Andre Heimgartner completing the top five. Feeney, who had started from pole, slipped to ninth after a difficult opening stint.
Credit: Supercars.com
The result marks Mostert’s third consecutive Gold Coast 500 victory, following his success at the event in 2025. He said the car had been excellent and credited the team for a faultless performance. The win also guarantees him a place in the second leg of the Finals Series at Sandown.
Despite his large advantage, Mostert had to manage a late fuel concern. The team warned him with only a handful of laps remaining, and he eased his pace on the final tour to make sure the Toyota Supra reached the finish. He later joked that little fuel remained, even after completing a celebratory burnout.
The race set up an important Sunday for the rest of the field, with qualifying, the Top 10 Shootout and a second 500-kilometre contest still to come. For Mostert, though, Saturday delivered a near-perfect start: a controlled drive, a substantial margin and another Gold Coast win.