A tense battle unfolded during the Supercars elimination phase as Wood faced the bitter reality of missing out on the next phase at Sandown. His fierce fight to keep championship hopes alive was heavily supported by his Walkinshaw TWG teammate, Chaz Mostert, who magnanimously conceded 10 seconds to drop in right behind his struggling stablemate on the track.
Although the strategic assistance from the Walkinshaw TWG garage nearly paid off, those title ambitions were ultimately denied by late pit stops involving Chevrolet drivers Jarrod Hughes and Cooper Murray. That sudden shift on the asphalt handed Anton De Pasquale the vital positions needed to advance, immediately sparking paddock whispers before Supercars and General Motors quickly put any collusion rumors to bed.
Reflecting on the heartbreaking finish, Wood made no secret of his profound disappointment while he showered praise on Mostert and the entire team for exhausting every possible tactical option to push him through to the final cut.
"Obviously gutted," Wood said, sharing his raw emotions following the dramatic conclusion. "What my teammate just tried to do for me was massive and I think they ended up basically throwing away a chance to win the race to help me get in."
"So I just want to say a big thank you to Chaz. That shows the sort of human he is and the rest of our team for trying everything to make me get in. It just wasn't meant to be," he added, looking back at the high-stress closing laps of the encounter.
Meanwhile, De Pasquale—arriving at the Gold Coast 500 as Chevrolet's sole remaining title contender—addressed questions regarding potential preferential treatment from the manufacturer. He acknowledged that brand-level strategic support is an inevitable reality when championships reach their critical boiling point.
"I think all brands will have that chat and whoever's left is always gonna get looked after," De Pasquale explained when questioned about manufacturer backing. "We've seen that last year. It's part of the game. Obviously, there's nothing more to that."
With the dust now settling on a controversial and fuel-sensitive elimination showdown, both drivers and their respective teams must regroup as the high-stakes 2026 Supercars season charges toward its next definitive battleground.
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