BEING forced to make an extra pit stop wasn't enough to prevent Chaz Mostert and Lee Holdsworth from claiming Sunday's Bathurst 1000.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mostert powered clear of his Supercars rivals over the last green flag session of the day to take out the Great Race for a second time.
He was put under pressure early in the race when a punctured tyre forced him to duck into pit lane on lap 50 but from there Mostert steadily brought his way back to the front of the field behind the wheel of a Walkinshaw Andretti United Commodore that had showed exceptional pace all week.
Mostert found the chequered flag ahead of Tickford Racing's Cameron Waters while Erebus Motorsport's Brodie Kostecki came home third.
It adds a second hard-earned Peter Brock Trophy to Mostert's cabinet after he rallied from the rear of the field to take out a memorable 2014 edition of the Bathurst 1000.
Sunday's success was a well-deserved maiden Bathurst crown for co-driver Holdsworth, who claimed victory in his 18th attempt at the event.
Mostert said that the supreme pace of his Commodore helped ease the pressure the team were put under by their extra pit stop.
"It was a tricky day for us. I had a bit of a heart-in-the-throat moment when the tyre went early in the third stint," he said.
"The way the strategy works is that you kind of get a free pit stop up your sleeve that everyone's got to do, and the car speed was what won it for us today.
"When Lee was in the car it was all green boxes, and it was a very enjoyable car to drive. It's pretty cool to have the number 25 on the door and to win here. I know how special it is for the Walkinshaw Andretti United team."
A crash for wildcard entry Broc Feeney at Sulman Park brought out the last safety car of the race and set up a 16-lap sprint to decide who would be crowned Bathurst champion.
Supercars championship winner Shane van Gisbergen looked set to duel with Mostert over that window until a flat front right tyre with six laps to go effectively sealed the result.
From there Mostert was able to build up a comfortable buffer over Waters, leaving the Tickford driver, Kostecki and Jamie Whincup to battle it out for the other podium positions.
Mostert said his second Bathurst 1000 title capped off one of the most enjoyable weeks in motorsport of his life.
"I was lucky enough to wrap up the TCR Australia title at the start of the week. I haven't won a title in over 10 years. Then we got into the Top 10 Shootout and took pole," he said.
"That car was so fun to drive, and it was amazing to get a lap record in that [Shootout], so that's two massive achievements. You never think a third great achievement is going to happen so you have to fight that mentally, so to win Brockie's trophy is overwhelming.
"I've had such an enjoyable week and it's probably the most relaxed I've ever been, just because the car has been doing everything we wanted it to do.