Wood Victorious In Dramatic Adelaide 500 Finale

Dale Wood’s final appearance in this year’s Porsche Carrera Cup Australia at the Adelaide 500 was successful, if not, remarkable due an unexpected turn of events leading to a surprise cameo in Leg 1 of the main game, Race 23 of the Supercars Championship.

Having netted Pole Position, a lap record and Race 1 victory in the Porsches, extraordinary circumstances led to Wood substituting for Kiwi Ritchie Stanaway in the #26 Penrite Mustang GT.

Wood’s callup came just 20 minutes following Race 2 in Carrera Cup, a race in which he finished P2.

Stanaway was one of three drivers making heavy contact with the Turn 8 wall in Friday’s Qualifying session. And despite arriving on Saturday and partaking in a Practice session, Stanaway stepped aside for the remainder of the weekend due to delayed concussion symptoms, on advice from Supercars doctor, Dr Carl Lee.

Penrite’s initial reaction was to engage Super2 racer, Kai Allen, who is contracted to race for the team in 2025. 

However, with required dispensation from Super2 teams and organisers impossible to arrange in a short amount of time, Wood found himself literally sprinting from the Carrera Cup pitlane to the Grove Racing garage.

With next-to-no preparation and facing one of the toughest physical challenges in Supercars competing in 36-degree ambient temperatures, Wood started Race 23 from the pitlane.

Considering Wood’s initiation in a Supercars Mustang around Adelaide came during the opening stanza of the race, he performed extremely well to deliver a P22 result, and more importantly, handing a clean Mustang back to the team and assisting them to maintain fourth in the teams’ championship.

With Saturday being perhaps one of the hardest workdays of Wood’s year, he returned to the Adelaide Parklands Circuit on Sunday to refocus on Carrera Cup duties.

With a win in Race 1, and a P2 in Race 2, the latter result following a bumping move up the inside at the last turn from Bailey Hall, Wood had a front-row start for the final race of the weekend.

Wood made the best start to lead into Turn 1, looking comfortable in the lead while the rest of the field duelled for the remaining podium positions.

Despite the action unfolding behind, Wood remained undeterred to cross the line with a 3.9 second advantage over Dylan O’Keefe, securing two race wins from three starts and galvanising his status as the man to beat on the streets of Adelaide. 

The Adelaide round win is Wood’s second in a row, a repeat of his success in 2023.

Wood also became the fourth-different race winner in 2024, capping off the 2024 Carrera Cup season in P6.

“I couldn’t be happier to finish off the year in such a strong way.” Said Wood.

“It makes for a nice ‘off season’ and gives us the momentum we want going into season 2025.

“It was hard to see my brother’s (Glen Wood) damage at the end of Race 3, but prior to that I felt we had a very strong car and an ability to literally drive away from the field. 

“Saturday was something I may never experience again but I was grateful of the opportunity and it pays to always be fit and ready for the last minute call ups.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my role with the Penrite Racing team this year and it was nice to play such a role at the final round. 

“We cannot rest too much over the break as we need to have complete focus on attacking for the Carrera Cup outright title next year!

“To represent my partners the way we have and sign off on the 2024 season the way we did makes me so happy for everyone involved.” 

Harri Jones was confirmed as the 2024 champion, ahead of David Russell and O’Keefe. 

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