Cam Waters has prevailed over Chaz Mostert in a pulsating Supercars duel for the ages to close the gap on the championship's leading trio.
Waters and Mostert traded the lead throughout in a rain-hit Townsville classic replete with crashes, comebacks and a memorable drive from fast-finishing championship leader Will Brown who finished third.
With his second win of the season, Waters (988 points) moves into fourth place in the standings, behind Triple Eight duo Brown (1482) and Broc Feeney (1341) and Walkinshaw Andretti United's Mostert (1212).
The 29-year-old was loving every minute of the contest.
"There were just so many different elements to the race," Waters beamed.
"When I was weak, to when I was strong, to trying a different strategy, to the rain. There was just always something going on and it was something you had to manage which made the race so cool from inside the cabin."
The drama started early at Reid Park on Saturday, with reigning series champion Brodie Kostecki getting into a tangle with Nick Percat and Anton De Pasquale on lap one.
Up ahead, after starting at one and two on the grid, Waters and Mostert pulled away from the rest of the pack and the race turned into a shootout between the two Mustangs.
Mostert made the first move, turning off Waters' tail and into the pits on lap 25.
Waters made his first stop three laps later and, with his tyres still cold, Mostert sensed his chance and went for an overtake on the inside of turn 11.
With 35 laps to go, Waters retook the lead, but the jostling allowed Will Davison and Thomas Randle to catch up.
Waters fought back after his second pit stop and overtook Davison, Randle and finally Mostert with seven laps to go.
"It was like racing your pissed off step-brother out there. It was a good old fight," Mostert said.
"I dont know how many times we passed each other back and forth but it was pretty cool. It probably hurt us a little bit with the other guys racing but it was still nice to hang on for the top two."
After missing out on a spot in the top-10 shootout, Brown stormed through the field from 13th on the grid as the heavens opened up in the closing stages.
In the slippery conditions, the Triple Eight young gun climbed into the leading pack and got into a battle of his own with Randle for third.
Brown eventually got the better of him, but Randle did enough to slow Brown from closing the gap on his Tickford Racing teammate Waters.
"I didn't think I'd get on the podium so I was pretty stoked with that," Brown said.
"I was coming pretty strong and then me and Randle got in a bit of a fight there. I got past him and then he lunged me down.
"Randle has definitely been the sacrificial lamb again for Cam."
Grove Racing's Matt Payne notched the fastest lap of the race with 1:15.3079 as he flew up the field, but narrowly missed out on a podium.
RACE 13 RESULTS:
1. Cam Waters (Tickford Racing)
2. Chaz Mostert (Walkinshaw Andretti United)
3. Will Brown (Triple Eight Race Engineering)
4. Matt Payne (Grove Racing)
5. Thomas Randle (Tickford Racing)
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:
1. Will Brown - 1482 pts
2. Broc Feeney - 1341 pts
3. Chaz Mostert - 1212 pts
4. Cam Waters - 988 pts
5. Matthew Payne - 915 pts
