Bathurst Hopes High, As Golding Boosts Morale...
James Golding remains determined to qualify for the 2026 Repco Supercars Finals Series, despite a significant setback due to disqualification. Golding fell from 10th to 14th in the championship standings after both Blanchard Racing Team Fords were disqualified from Sunday's Ryco Enduro Cup opener at The Bend. The BRT Mustangs failed to meet the minimum lap requirement, shifting Golding's Finals prospects from relative security to potential jeopardy.
Golding lost 182 points, moving him from the driver most likely to secure the final Finals spot to a less probable contender. BRT explained that their timing software mistakenly calculated that the full scheduled distance would be completed within the race's time limit. Nonetheless, stewards decided to disqualify both cars.
Speaking to media at Wednesday's Gold Coast launch, Golding emphasized the need to rally around his team and ensure a strong performance at Bathurst. "From my perspective, it's something I couldn't control," Golding told media. "So, all I can do is support the team as much as possible. Obviously, we need to learn from what went wrong, but we also can't dwell on it."
"We've got to refocus and channel all our energy into the next race, ensuring we execute it well." Golding and co-driver Richie Stanaway must aim for victory at Mount Panorama to have a chance of surpassing Jack Le Brocq, Jayden Ojeda, Thomas Randle, and Andre Heimgartner for the final Finals spot. Le Brocq currently holds the 10th position, with Heimgartner (-62), Randle (-63), Ojeda (-70), and Golding (-87) trailing closely.
"We're definitely still in contention. Bathurst offers 300 points for a race win. I think we're 87 points behind Le Brocq in 10th.
"So realistically, it's more challenging, but it's not impossible. That race is unpredictable. Anything can happen. We've seen it repeatedly. We just need to ensure we execute our part and finish ahead of those guys." On achieving a miracle, Golding added: "I want to remain positive and believe we have a chance, which we do. But ultimately, it’s going to be a bit more challenging for us compared to the others we're competing against. There are four other cars, and we're all vying for that last position. Heading to Bathurst, we just have to perform our best, and where everyone else finishes is beyond our control.
"So that's what we'll be focusing on."
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