Finals Strategies Playing Out At Walkinshaw...
The Walkinshaw TWG Racing team, featuring Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood, is determined to take risks to secure victories at the upcoming Penrite Oil Sandown 500.
Mostert particularly shone in the opening round of the Finals on the Gold Coast, advancing in the championship battle with an impressive performance in wet conditions during Saturday's race.
Starting the Finals in a precarious eighth position, Mostert has climbed to fourth in the standings and is now above the cut-line before the Semi Final. Despite his relatively secure position, Mostert isn't planning a cautious strategy. A significant improvement in his Toyota GR Supra's performance on the Gold Coast has bolstered his confidence to defend his 2025 title.
"It's fantastic to head into Sandown in fourth place after a strong weekend at the Gold Coast," said Mostert, who has won two of the last four races. "We made significant progress with the car last round, and I'm eager to see how that translates this weekend. As demonstrated on the Gold Coast, our mentality should be 'win and you're in' this weekend; that's certainly our aim."
Meanwhile, Wood exited the Finals on the Gold Coast for the second year in a row, with a strategic position swap between Mostert and Wood on Sunday being negated by late fuel stops for Jarrod Hughes and Cooper Murray. Mostert regained his podium spot once it was clear Wood wouldn't advance regardless of his finishing position, with many now anticipating Wood to resume his supportive role from the 2025 Finals Series.
Wood's defensive maneuvers against a fast-charging Will Brown in last year's Sandown opener ensured Mostert's progression to the Grand Final. However, Wood has stated his main focus for the rest of 2026 is to win races. The young driver also mentioned the possibility of Sandown's notoriously unpredictable weather affecting the weekend, with rain expected on Friday and Saturday as of the time of publication.
"Even though our championship fight is over this year, that doesn't mean we stop competing for the rest of the season. Our objective now is to win races," Wood said.
"We had an excellent car at Sandown last year, so I'm excited to return this year."
"Saturday looks like it’s going to be wet; I'll be hoping for rain to ensure it stays that way."
On-track action at Sandown begins with two practice sessions on Friday, November 6.
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