Broc Feeney entered the 2023 Supercars season with the confidence of a successful rookie campaign behind him, but his second year would prove to be the one that established him as a genuine championship contender. Driving the #88 Red Bull Ampol Racing Chevrolet Camaro, Feeney embraced the sport’s new Gen3 era and quickly demonstrated he had the speed and consistency to challenge the category’s best.
The season began with disappointment when both Triple Eight Camaros were disqualified from the opening Newcastle race following a technical infringement, stripping Feeney of what had been a third-place finish. Rather than allowing the setback to derail his campaign, the young Queenslander responded in impressive fashion. He claimed his maiden Gen3 victory at the Australian Grand Prix before adding further wins in Perth, Tasmania and Darwin. Combined with a string of podium finishes through the middle of the season, the results firmly established Feeney as a genuine championship contender.
One of the standout moments of the season came at the revived Sandown 500, where Feeney partnered mentor Jamie Whincup. The pair delivered a commanding performance to claim victory in the first endurance race of the year, giving Feeney his first endurance race win and Whincup another triumph at one of his most successful circuits. The result highlighted the strength of the partnership and reinforced Triple Eight as the benchmark team heading into Bathurst.
The Bathurst 1000 looked set to deliver another memorable result, with Feeney and Whincup running comfortably in second during the closing stages. Heartbreak struck when a gearbox actuator failure forced the #88 Camaro into the pits for lengthy repairs. Although the team returned to the race and was classified 23rd, any hopes of victory, and with them Feeney’s championship challenge, had disappeared.
Although the Bathurst disappointment effectively ended his title challenge, Feeney continued to perform strongly through the final rounds. He finished the season with five race victories including a Sandown 500 triumph and 11 podiums, ultimately securing third place in the Supercars Championship behind Brodie Kostecki and teammate Shane van Gisbergen. More importantly, 2023 proved he belonged among the sport’s elite. His ability to recover from early setbacks, fight for the championship in just his second full-time season and deliver under pressure confirmed that he was no longer simply Jamie Whincup’s successor, he had established himself as one of Supercars’ leading stars.
