Weekend Motorsport Wrap-Up

Xfinity Series

After a disappointing qualifying, the team made changes to the #97 Chevrolet, relegating SVG to a start from the back of the grid.

After spending the race climbing through the field, by the final round of stops SVG was in P8 and had the pace to move to the front, but his charge was halted when he was awarded a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pits during his stop.

Not one to give up, the three-time Xfinity winner charged through the field yet again and was battling for second place when he was nearly sent in to a spin by Chandler Smith. This contact dropped SVG down to fifth just as a massive wreck behind the Kiwi ended the race early.

Cup Series

A strong qualifying had van Gisbergen starting the NASCAR Cup race from the second row of the grid in P3.

SVG stayed at the front for the duration of the race and found himself leading on the final lap in a fierce battle with Chris Buescher. However, after losing speed going through the Bustop chicane, Chris Buescher made a move, bumping van Gisbergen to take the lead in the last moments. SVG managed to recover but couldn't regain enough momentum to get back past and finished second. Despite the disappointment, it was a strong showing for the Kiwi, competing on equal footing with Cup Series regulars.

Daybreaker Rally

Ben Hunt had a solid performance at the Daybreaker Rally this weekend, finishing second behind Hayden Paddon. While Paddon dominated the event with a comfortable six-minute lead, Hunt’s steady drive earned him crucial points to take the lead in the New Zealand Rally Championship standings. His main title rival, Robbie Stokes, faced mechanical issues, allowing Hunt to gain a significant advantage in the championship as they head into the final rounds.

Hunt now leads by 18 points and is in a strong position to compete for his third national title​.

INDYCAR

It was the INDYCAR season finale this weekend in Nashville, with both Scott Dixon and Scott McLaughlin out of contention for the Championship title.

Wanting to end the season on a high, Scott McLaughlin battled within the top ten throughout the race, managing his strategy well on the 1.33-mile oval for a P5 finish, securing P3 in the championship standings.

Scott Dixon, however, had a tougher day, finishing P17 after struggles with pace and positioning.

The race marked the end of the 2024 season, with Colton Herta taking the victory and Alex Palou securing his third INDYCAR championship​.

Indy NXT

Callum Hedge had a challenging weekend in his final Indy NXT round of 2024.

He was involved in a collision while fighting in the top 10, which resulted in damage and forced him to pit. Despite this setback, Hedge managed to rejoin the race and finished in P16.

Hedge finished his rookie year in the INDYCAR feeder series P4 in the championship standings.

Supercars

At the 2024 Sandown 500, Matt Payne, Ryan Wood, and Andre Heimgartner had eventful weekends, though with mixed results.

Matt Payne and co-driver Garth Tander finished as the top Ford Mustang entry in P4. Payne showed solid pace and battled with top contenders like Cameron Waters. Despite some incidents, including a late-race clash with Jack Le Brocq, which saw Le Brocq crash out, Payne secured a strong result.

Ryan Wood suffered misfortune early in the race after being half-spun on the first lap following contact with James Courtney. Wood and co-driver Fabian Coulthard's Mobil 1 Truck Assist Mustang also faced a penalty for an unsafe release during pit stops, impacting their overall result with a P15 finish.

Andre Heimgartner had a solid start, running in the top group during the early stages. However, after several pit stops and strategy adjustments, he finished down in P11.

Porsche Carrera Cup Australia

Marco Giltrap had a tough weekend out at Sandown, the young Kiwi unable to find the pace across the weekend’s three races for a solid result.

Giltrap sits just 22 points outside the top 10 in the championship with three rounds to go.

WEC

After putting their #2 Cadillac on pole position for the Six Hours of Fuji, Alex Lynn and Earl Bamber looked on-track for a dream weekend after a difficult season.

The dream turned in to a nightmare when Bamber was forced to retire after a crash while battling an Alpine at Turn 4. Although he managed to bring the heavily damaged car back to the pits, it could not rejoin the race, marking a tough end to his run.

Brendon Hartley, in the #8 Toyota that started on the front row alongside the #2 Cadillac, also had a difficult race, finishing P10 after a series of setbacks, including a drive-through penalty for not respecting blue flags.