Matt Payne secured a blistering victory for Grove Racing in Townsville’s second Supercars round as he lapped the 68‑lap race from second into a 11‑second cushion that lasted until the finish.
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Matt Payne’s Powerhouse Performance
Payne began the race second on the grid, gaining a clear 11‑second lead immediately after the opening pit cycle.
He held the stalker’s advantage for the entire remainder of the event, and over the final 10 laps, the lead stayed well over 10 seconds.
During the pause, Payne and his engineer mapped out tyre strategy for Sunday’s 200km test, proving the Ford Mustang S650 was pace‑dominant.
Saving an extra bit of fuel early on tightened the team’s resource management, allowing Payne to set a steady tempo.
Brodie Kostecki’s Pitlane Setback
Kostecki’s crew struggled to fit his left‑rear wheel during the first stop, and by re‑entering the track he had already dropped four places.
The Dick Johnson Racing Mustang stayed quick on track but could not match Payne, instead finishing third.
Kostecki reflected on the incident: “Unfortunate, but the car was plenty fast.” He acknowledged his delay may have helped De Pasquale.
Anton De Pasquale’s Late Charge
De Pasquale qualified 11th and knocked his Team 18 Chevy Camaro Mk.6 into second on the final lap.
With fresher tyres than the cars ahead, he pushed hard for four laps, then maintained advantage when the leader dropped two places.
His comments held transparency: “We had a fresher tyre, and I was saving fuel for a long time but we had enough margin to Brodie to get it home.”
Infield Battles and Technical Issues
Thomas Randle and Cam Waters of Tickford Racing fought through mid‑field, each setting a top‑five finish.
Waters’ Mustang suffered an exhaust pipe pinch that cost power and the lap that led him to step out of 4th by the final lap.
Triple Eight’s Will Brown and Broc Feeney struggled in qualifying, starting outside the top ten, yet Brown finished just behind Randle in the battle for fifth.
Championship Implication
Payne’s 10th career win extends his championship lead ahead of Sunday’s race, giving Grove Racing a confident stance.
The Ford Mustang’s pace and the crew’s adjustments will prove critical as the teams head to the next round.
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