Barry Ryan and Brodie Kostecki Reunite for Sandown Charity Hot Lap

Erebus Motorsport boss Barry Ryan and his former championship-winning driver Brodie Kostecki shared pit lane once again at the Sandown 500, putting any lingering talk of tension behind them during a charity hot lap.

Ryan secured the passenger seat in Kostecki's #17 Dick Johnson Racing Ford Mustang after placing a winning $2,500 bid at a Motorsport Ministries fundraiser held on the Gold Coast. The track ride marked the first time the team principal had experienced a Supercars lap alongside Kostecki.

speedcafe.com: Brodie Kostecki and Barry Ryan with Riana Crehan. Image: InSyde Media

Championship History and Trackside Reunion

The pairing achieved the ultimate Supercars double together at Erebus, claiming the 2023 drivers' championship before securing an against-the-odds victory at the Bathurst 1000. However, their professional relationship faced intense scrutiny when Kostecki sat out the opening two rounds of the subsequent season amid a publicised standoff, prior to his move to Dick Johnson Racing.

Speaking to Speedcafe, Ryan dismissed suggestions of lingering animosity following the Sandown passenger run, emphasising that the pair remain on good terms away from the spotlight.

"You just get a renewed sense of appreciation for how fast the cars are and how talented the drivers are," Ryan said. "Being in with Brodie for the first time, knowing that we won a championship and Bathurst with him, it's pretty special."

Ryan added: "We've joked around for a lot of years and all the bullshit you see in the media was a lot of bullshit. There's no drama there. We have a bit of fun. We were texting last week, hanging shit on him about it. There's no drama. We all get on with life."

Kostecki returned the banter after completing the circuit, jokingly remarking that he thought he was "taking a three-year-old, he was crying so much."

speedcafe.com: Barry Ryan aboard the Shell Ford. Image: InSyde Media

Industry Leaders Experience Full Throttle

Ryan was not the only prominent motorsport figure to strap in alongside Kostecki. Supercars chief executive Barclay Nettlefold and Repco chief Wayne Bryant also participated in hot laps following their bids at the PPQ Legends Night.

Kitted out in Shell V-Power racing overalls, Nettlefold reflected on the stark contrast between standard high-performance road machinery and current Supercars machinery.

"I've been in a Ford Escort with Murph. I've been in a Safety Car with Skaifey, but it's nothing compared to what I just experienced," Nettlefold told Speedcafe. "Just the intensity and how fast you're attacking the corners. It's just mind-blowing. The speed was fine, but it was just, when are you going to brake? You see 100 metres and he's still not even trying to brake."

While public perception often focuses on the acrimony surrounding driver transfers and contractual disputes, the Sandown outing illustrated a lighter, practical side to paddock dynamics, channelling competitive history into community fundraising.