Chaz Mostert is making the most of Supercars’ new finals format, firming as a grand final favourite after extending his red hot form into the opening day of the Sandown 500.

The Walkinshaw Andretti United ace was second-fastest in both practice sessions on Friday, as David Reynolds and Anton De Pasquale set the benchmark with blistering drives in each.

But with the Team 18 duo already out of the finals picture, Mostert was easily the best of the remaining seven championship hopefuls, finishing five-hundredths of a second behind De Pasquale in practice one and seven-hundredths behind Reynolds in practice two.

Just three rounds ago, Mostert was trailing runaway leader Broc Feeney by 552 championship points.

Last year, that would’ve meant season over.

But with the introduction of the fin

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