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Super-sub’s huge statement after last-minute Supercars call-up
DARWIN: Todd Hazelwood had been expecting to spend his Sunday afternoon on a flight, sinking tins having raced in the Trans-Am series at the Darwin Triple Crown Supercars event.
Instead, he got a last-minute call-up to replace endurance teammate Brodie Kostecki in the main race.
Hazelwood being fitted into Brodie Kostecki's race seat. Supercars
“I was going to be at the airport by now, checking in for my flight,” he told Nine.com.au on the grid.
“So to be replacing Brodie and obviously getting in the car now a bit of a crazy situation, but that’s the beauty of doing what we do – I’ve just got to get on with the job and press on now.
“We’ve got a job to do for the team, and hopefully, I can do the team and Brodie justice.”
He qualified a solid 13th – two places ahead of teammate Rylan Gray, who has driven in the category all year – and finished an impressive 12th.
Kostecki was ruled out of Sunday running with “lingering effects” from Saturday’s race, in which illness and a drink failure led to him collapsing next to his car after finishing third.
Hazelwood drove in the Trans-Am race, and then sprinted to the Dick Johnson Racing garage to get ready for qualifying. His only practice was watching one on-board lap of Kostecki’s.
Hazelwood is no stranger to the Supercars series – he spent six seasons racing in the category full-time, and won the 2024 Bathurst 1000 co-driving with Kostecki.
The 30-year-old was involved in a clash with Declan Fraser on the second lap, but escaped penalty. The clutch in his Ford Mustang then started to overheat, which halted his progress.
The safety car was called with three laps to go after the engine on Chaz Mostert’s Toyota Supra expired in a cloud of smoke at turn one, and the race did not resume.
It cannot be understated how physically demanding it is to race a Supercar for 200km in Darwin. Ambient air temperatures in the mid-30s meant temps in the cabins pushed 60C.
It’s a challenge for even the fittest drivers – which Hazelwood still is – but there is no substitute for race fitness.
“It’s hot work out there, but I felt pretty good in the car all things considered,” Hazelwood told nine.com.au.
“I was getting a bit of tingling in my right foot about half way ... it was a bit of a rush job (to get ready), so probably a combination of a hot pedal box and the pedal pressure, and an ill-fitting seat.”
Kostecki finished third in Saturday's race. Getty
The short notice meant barely any ergonomic changes could be made to the car to suit Hazelwood. Kostecki is significantly bigger than Hazelwood, and the ring-in had to sit in his seat and wear his suit. Both are custom fitted to each driver’s exact dimensions for maximum comfort.
The interview was briefly interrupted by Garth Tander, who congratulated Hazelwood for the “mega” effort.
When put to him this was a statement drive to the rest of the paddock he is still deserving of a full-time seat, Hazelwood was coy.
“I think I’ve always been capable. In the last two years I think I’ve proved that,” he said, referring to his performances with Kostecki in the endurance events at Sandown, The Bend and Bathurst.
“You’re only as good as the people around you in this sport and that’s clearly evident when you’ve got a good team and good environment, great things happen.
“Selfishly for me, it’s good preparation for later in the year when I team up with Brodie for the enduros … you’ve always got to draw on the positives.
“Although Brodie’s clearly not well and I sincerely wish that he gets better ASAP, the flip side was we were still able to bank some (teams) championship points, the car is straight, and it gave me a bit of a leg-up before we get into the car later in the year.”
Anton De Pasquale crossed the line first for Team18, scoring his and Chevrolet’s second victory of the season.
Hazlewood wasn’t the only super sub in Sunday’s race.
After qualifying and barely an hour before the race, Thomas Randle – who suffered a cool suit failure in Saturday’s race – was also ruled out, and former champion Mark Winterbottom was ushered into the seat.
Winterbottom was in Darwin as a part of the broadcast team. He was forced to start from pit lane, and finished second last.
Damien McCartney is in Darwin as a guest of Tourism and Events Northern Territory.
