Brodie Kostecki has fired a warning to his Supercars rivals, saving his best for last to top the final Tasmania Super 440 practice.
Dick Johnson Racing star Kostecki navigated Symmons Plains Raceway best to clock a lap time of 50.948 seconds in Friday's second of two practice sessions.
He pipped reigning Bathurst 1000 winner Matt Payne by 0.010 seconds, with PremiAir Racing rookie Jayden Ojeda a further 0.037 seconds behind in third.
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With three sprint races up for grabs this weekend, Kostecki is out to reclaim the championship lead from last year's runner-up Broc Feeney.
Kostecki boasts five race wins against three for Feeney (925 points), but gave up the series lead after a dramatic conclusion to last round's finale in New Zealand.
Reigning champion Chaz Mostert had taken out Kostecki in Ruapuna, sending the Ford flying into the dirt.
Mostert was given a 30-second penalty and finished 17th, while Kostecki came in 18th.
Payne led a Grove Racing one-two alongside second-placed Kai Allen, with Feeney third to take a 23-point lead.
Kostecki is second and 23 points ahead of Payne, while Mostert is 11th - still winless in the new Toyota Supra.
The 28-year-old has never won in Tasmania, his best result being a second-placed finish in 2023 - the year he won his championship.
Kostecki does at least hold the practice/qualifying lap record at Symmons Plains, clocking 50.6218 seconds in 2023.
"It's always a chance when you come and you start off the weekend strong," Kostecki told Fox Sports.
"But it's only practice. You don't win anything for practice."
Kostecki had finished second to Team 18 veteran David Reynolds in Friday's first practice session.
Reynolds clocked a lap time of 51.138 seconds, despite a hairy moment with the infamous turn-four hairpin.
He beat Kostecki by 0.132 seconds, while Team 18 teammate Anton De Pasquale was behind by 0.178 seconds in third.
Trouble for Cooper Murray early in Practice 1 in Tasmania, with a front suspension failure at Turn 2 #RepcoSC #Supercars pic.twitter.com/o2QCqNNLlp
— Supercars (@supercars) May 22, 2026
The red flag was brought out just seconds into the first practice session, after Erebus driver Cooper Murray veered off into the gravel after the first turn with a left-front suspension failure.
Erebus were able to get the car back on the track despite a quick turnaround between sessions, with Murray finishing 17th.
Qualifying for race 14 and 15 starts at 10am (AEST) on Saturday, before the first sprint of the weekend at 1pm.
