Kostecki beats Brown to win Sandown 500, claims grand final spot
Brodie Kostecki won the Sandown 500 and qualified for the Supercars grand final in Adelaide.
Brodie Kostecki claimed his ninth victory of the season at Sandown on Saturday, punching his ticket to the Supercars grand final in Adelaide. The Dick Johnson Racing driver crossed the line 5.3 seconds ahead of Matt Payne in a race that saw two safety-car interventions reshape the field.
Championship leader Payne lost his early advantage when pit-stop strategy unravelled after the first caution flag. Kostecki and podcast co-host Will Brown battled fiercely until lap 36, when Brown tried a turn-four overtake, hit Kostecki, and spun into the barriers.
From there Kostecki soared clear to victory while Payne recovered to second and Cam Waters took third. Brown finished 20th and said he was gutted by the result.
The Sandown 500 is the penultimate round; seven drivers remain in contention, but only four will advance to Adelaide after Sunday's second race.
- 5.3626 seconds
- Winning margin
- 79 laps, 250 kilometres
- Race distance
- Ninth victory
- Kostecki's season wins
- Sandown International Motor Raceway
- Track
Why it mattersKostecki keeps alive his hopes of winning the championship for the first time since 2023 by securing a grand final spot.
AustraliaAustralian Supercars fans now head to Adelaide for a crucial grand final that will crown this year's champion.
