Round 3 of the Victorian Supersprint Championship took us to Phillip Island, and while it may not have been as wet as Winton, it was still classic Island weather: cold, damp, and just rude enough to remind everyone why Barry Sheene famously called Phillip Island the gateway to hypothermia.

After three rounds, the outright leaderboard has tightened into what looks like a genuine four-driver battle. Scott Rowe in the Toyota 86, Stephen Emery in the Toyota GR Yaris and Adrian Jarvis in the BMW M2 are all tied on 30 points, with Stephen Carron in the Subaru WRX STI sitting just one point behind on 29.

And this year, that fight has a bit more than bragging rights attached to it.

Thanks to Vitour, the 2026 VSSC outright winner will receive a free set of Vitour tyres, while the runner-up will receive two Vitour tyres. For a grassroots supersprint championship, that is a massive prize and a serious reward for the drivers who commit to the full season.

So with four drivers separated by just one point, every run from here matters. Every clean lap, every point, every “maybe I’ll just send it a little harder” moment could make the difference between going home with the title and a fresh set of rubber and wondering where those few tenths disappeared.

Carron was one of the big movers at Phillip Island, taking maximum points for the round and putting himself right into the title conversation. Behind the top four, Gareth Walker and Matt Lehmann are both still well within striking distance, with Greg O’Donnell and John Chadwick also keeping the pressure on as the season moves into its final stages.

Full class results and updated standings are available on the VSSC leaderboard page, so make sure you check where you sit after Phillip Island.

Next up, the championship heads to Calder Park on August 22nd for Round 4. With two rounds remaining, a major prize on the line, and the top four separated by a single point, the pressure is well and truly on.

Bring on Calder.