FEENEY CONFIRMED AS WHINCUP REPLACEMENT

After six months of speculation, it has finally been confirmed that 18-year-old Broc Feeney will replace Jamie Whincup in the #88 Triple Eight Race Engineering Supercar next year.

It’s a big step up for the current Super2 Series leader who will make his full-time debut in the top-tier Supercars Championship for the front-running Queensland operation.

Feeney currently competes for Triple Eight in the second-tier Super2 Series after moving from Tickford Racing at the end of last season.

It has been half a year since Jamie Whincup announced that he will step down from full-time Supercars Championship race duties at the end of the current season, as he moves into the role of managing director, replacing team founder and co-owner Roland Dane.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for me to be replacing ‘The GOAT’, Jamie Whincup,” said Feeney. “It’s so surreal for me at the moment, but I think it will start to kick in at the start of next year.”

“To be aligned with this amazing team in my Super2 season and to be promoted into the main series is a dream come true.

“To be honest, I always wanted to get to Supercars, but to be behind the wheel of a Red Bull Ampol Racing machine is pretty exciting.”

This year Feeney has won three of the first six Super2 Series races, finishing off the podium just once and believes his results got him the seat.

“The Super2 season has been a very important year for me,” he explained. “I knew at the start of the year that there was an opportunity to replace Jamie, and it all depended on how my results went this year.

“To get four out of six wins this season and winning two out of three rounds has been a great opportunity for me, and this now feels like a big reward.

“When Roland (Dane, Triple Eight Managing Director) told me the news I was in shock.

“He explained everything to me and basically asked how it sounded – I said it sounded bloody awesome! I got out of that meeting and rang my parents straight away.

“It was such a big relief as we’ve all put in so much effort the last few years, and it’s a day I’ll never forget.

“It’s such a good place for me to be, considering I’m a rookie coming into the Supercars series.

“To have the drivers that I’m surrounded by and the knowledge they have is a great opportunity. For the short eight months I’ve been with the team, I’ve learnt so much and I cannot wait to learn more in the next few years.

“My focus at the moment is winning the Super2 championship, and then we’ll set some goals for next year.

“It is hard to have expectations at the moment going into next season, but I just want to have a consistent year and learn as much as I can. Everyone says the rookie year is the toughest, but I’m looking forward to having a good and consistent year.”

Despite only being 18 years old, Feeney has already achieved a lot at a national level in tin tops.

The Queenslander made his debut in the Supercars Championship last year when he was the co-driver of Tickord driver James Courtney at the Bathurst 1000, in which the pair finished 10th.

Feeney was the youngest ever winner of the third-tier Super3 Series at the age of just 16, he is also a Bathurst 12 Hour class winner and Toyota Gazoo Racing race victor.

Feeney will have big shoes to fill taking over from Whincup, a driver with more championships, race wins and podiums than any driver in Supercars/Australian Touring Car Championship history.

Whincup explained why they chose rookie Feeney over many established names currently in the Supercars Championship.

“It’s obviously big news for Triple Eight that we’ll be bringing on a new recruit which is certainly exciting,” Whincup said.

“It’s a feel-good factor as well for myself and the shareholders to give a young kid an opportunity in one of the best seats in the category and to go out there and prove themselves.

“I’m excited, and certainly everyone within the team is excited, and our fan base should be excited as well. Of course, there’s five more rounds for me to go, but I’m looking forward to giving Broc the keys.”

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