EGGLESTON Motorsport’s role in Brodie Kostecki’s career has proven rewarding for the Super2 Series team, in more ways than one.
First and foremost, owners Ben and Rachael Eggleston take great satisfaction from helping young drivers climb the Supercars ladder.
While their current star Kai Allen fights for the Super2 Series title in Adelaide, they’re keeping one eye on Eggleston alumni Kostecki’s bid to claim a maiden Supercars Championship crown.
MORE: How Kostecki can clinch the title today
The Egglestons took on Kostecki for the 2020 Super2 season when the West Australian was at a career crossroads following the effective closure of Kostecki Brothers Racing.
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Kostecki won on debut with Eggleston in Adelaide and, although he only ended up competing for two rounds in the pandemic-hit season, it helped set the platform for a rapid rise thereafter.
“Effectively he had nothing, and Paul Morris rang me and just said, ‘this kid is good, what can you do?’” Ben Eggleston recalled to V8 Sleuth.
“Me and Rach had a chat and then Brodie rang me and effectively we took him on, he didn’t contribute one dollar to anything, we foot the bill.
“We knew he needed a hand, because without it he would never have gotten back in the sport. He was at Paul’s doing driver coaching and he’d still be there now.
“COVID hit, which shortened that year up, but when you’ve got someone so good, it didn’t take long for everyone to realise what he was.”
Eggleston’s help of Kostecki resulted in a boost for the former’s other great passion, collecting and restoring significant cars from V8 Supercars history.
One car that Eggleston had long been chasing was Craig Lowndes’ 1998 Australian Touring Car Championship-winning VS Commodore.
HRT had sold the car to Morris in 2000 and it was written-off in a nasty fireball accident that year at Oran Park.
Morris, though, kept the wrecked shell, which spent a time on display at Morris’ Norwell Motorplex before disappearing into storage.
Eggleston says that Morris’ appreciation of his team taking on Kostecki played a part in finally getting a deal over the line to buy the car.
“I really wanted that car because it would give me all three of Craig Lowndes’ championship winners,” explained Eggleston.
“I knew what it was, I knew where it was, but Paul always held it pretty tight to his chest.
“Then we helped Brodie out with the whole Super2 program, and I kept talking to Paul through it all, trying to convince him I was going to do the right thing with the car.
“I kept pestering him about it, then one day me and Brodie were in the truck at Winton, we had Paul on speaker, and he finally gave in and said he’d sell it.
“He was true to his word, and we’ve got the car now and we’re restoring it back to Lowndesy’s 1998 championship winner, which I always wanted.
“It worked out for everyone, really.”
The heavily damaged car remains under restoration with hopes to complete it in 2024.
While the background of its rescue makes for a unique story, it’s clear that Kostecki’s success and ongoing friendship means even more to the Egglestons.
“When he came to us, all he had was his helmet bag,” Eggleston added.
“He afforded the flight down and he lived with me and Rachael for months and months, working in the shop every day.
“He was so motivated and driven to do well, it was awesome to work with him. He’s one of the best guys on feedback with the car and data. He’s super-intelligent.
“It’s really rewarding for me and Rachael to see him get to where he has, his opportunities are endless from here on.”
