MOSTERT JOINS EXCLUSIVE CLUB OF CHAMPIONSHIP LEADERS

FOR the first time in six years, a driver sits at the top of the Repco Supercars Championship standings for the first time in their career – Chaz Mostert.

After a win and a third placing at Sydney Motorsport Park in round one, Mostert broke a 167 race streak of the Supercars Championship points leader being either a DJR Team Penske or Triple Eight Race Engineering driver.

The last time a non-DJRTP or T8 driver led the championship was Mark Winterbottom for Prodrive Racing Australia (now Tickford Racing) after race two at Winton in 2016.

Winterbottom, Will Davison and James Courtney all last led the championship during the 2016 season, while Shane van Gisbergen’s most recent time in the lead of the championship came after winning race one at SMP this year.

Davison was last atop the standings after round two of the championship at Symmons Plains in 2016 for Tekno, while Courtney led after race two at the 2016 Clipsal 500.

Courtney’s race two win in 2016 was the last time a Walkinshaw Andretti United driver had led the championship, back when the team was known as the Holden Racing Team.

Mostert is only the 39th driver in Supercars/Australian Touring Car Championship history to lead the drivers championship, however only 25 have ever been crowned champion.

Mostert also joins Davison as the only currently active drivers to have led the championship but to have not won it so far.

The last time a driver led the championship for the very first time in their Supercars career occurred after race one at Winton in 2016, with Scott McLaughlin leading the championship for Garry Rogers Motorsport and Volvo.

Four notable drivers in the current field have not sat higher than second in the championship points in their careers – Anton De Pasquale (in 2022) David Reynolds (2018), Lee Holdsworth (2009) and Cameron Waters (2020).

Along with Mostert, De Pasquale, Will Brown, Brodie Kostecki and Thomas Randle left SMP this year recording their best championship position in their career throughout the weekend.

Round two will be held at Symmons Plains on March 26/27 with three 44 lap races to be held.

Mostert leads the 2022 championship by 12 points over De Pasquale with reigning champion van Gisbergen holding third, 27 points behind.