Supercars star Broc Feeney is being tipped to go faster than ever as his Triple Eight team attempt to rebound from a devastating low when they take to the track in Perth this week.
Feeney and his Triple Eight teammate Will Brown didn't make the podium for a sixth consecutive time in the Townsville 500 final a fortnight ago.
It marked the first time Triple Eight have endured such a lean run since 2006 - when they went eight races without a top-three finish - and the pressure is on them to bounce back in Perth this week.
Brown, the 2024 champion, sits seventh in the standings with 1239 points and is yet to taste victory this year.
Feeney, meanwhile, has coughed up a 90-point lead at the top of the standings to now sit 92 points behind Grove Racing star Matthew Payne.
It's left Feeney (1564 points) with plenty to prove in Perth, and Payne (1656) is wary of the threat his rival poses.
Where does your favourite driver sit on the @baileyladders Leaderboard before we head out West? đź‘€#RepcoSC #Supercars pic.twitter.com/mZ5qZicdVx
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"I'm sure no doubt they (Triple Eight) are going to turn things around at some stage, and he'll be faster than ever," Payne said.
"For a team like Triple Eight to not have ... a successful round in points ... is a little bit strange.
"But for sure, we've seen it. I don't know how many times they've had a couple of bad races, and then they come out swinging even harder.
"So I'm sure they're going to work for it and find out whatever their issues are and fix those up."Feeney will enter the Perth leg with plenty of fond memories after prevailing twice at the Wanneroo Raceway during last year's Supercars trip west.
Only 195 points currently separate Payne, Feeney, Brodie Kostecki and Cam Waters, marking the tightest top four at the halfway point of a Supercars season since 2016.
There have already been nine different race winners and 10 different pole sitters in 22 races, making it one of the most competitive seasons in Supercars history to date.
Hometown hero Kostecki (1469) sits in third spot after snaring his sixth win of the season in Townsville, and he's hoping to put on a special showing in front of family and friends.
The action begins on Friday with two practice sessions, before the drives compete in two 120km races (50 laps each) on Saturday and one 200km race (80 laps) on Sunday.