Matt Payne extended his Supercars title lead after taking the win in race one at Perth’s Wanneroo Raceway, and secured second place in the afternoon session.
Matt Payne’s Dominance From Pole to Finish
Grove Racing’s Ford Mustang S650 started the weekend from pole in both 50‑lap battles. In race one, Payne’s only slip came from a hesitant launch, yet he recovered swiftly. A safety car period erased an almost five‑second cushion, but Payne re‑established his advantage before the final lap.
Race two saw Payne again lead the order after his stop, but a checkered‑flag debate appeared when Broc Feeney, following a quick stint, jumped the field once he was clear of a car about to enter the pit lane. Feeney, the Triple Eight Ford, closed the gap by 1.58 seconds to claim his first win in seven outings.
Race Two Shock: Feeney’s Opportunistic Takeover
Feeney admitted early wheelspin and a loss of traction in the first stint, but his crew’s flawless pit work allowed the driver to mount a challenge. Payne left the pit lane throttle legacy down the river, but “I caught the lapped traffic at the wrong moment,” he explained, acknowledging the bend that handed Feeney the steering advantage.
Other Podium Finishers Shape the Midfield Landscape
Grove’s Kai Allen finished third in the second race, after a tense opening‑lap collision with Team 18 Chevrolet’s Anton De Pasquale and a subsequent battle with Will Brown that kept him close to the front. Allen’s team emphasized the “good” performance of the car, though the clash left the 2023 champion off the podium.
Will Brown, formerly of Triple Eight, carved a path from 11th to fourth in the log‑book. The 29‑year‑old’s early gains and late‑race fight-prone show that the field was not locked in order.
Walkinshaw TWG Toyota – A Mixed Saturday
Ryan Wood, the Walkinshaw TWG Toyota, held a bright second place in race one. However, the same car struggled in the afternoon, ending eighth when Payne’s team stopped for new slicks. Chaz Mostert, starting outside the top ten, fought his way to a solid third in the first race thanks to six‑tyre strategy before surrendering ground to four‑tyre flyers in the final laps. The same early stop in race two vaulted Mostert to a hard‑fought fourth.
De Pasquale, Kostecki and the Turn‑1 Clash
De Pasquale delivered the sharpest results for Team 18, finishing third in the opening sprint and 11th the next day. “I had great pace on the soft; I couldn’t replicate it on the super‑soft,” he conceded. Kostecki, an outsider in race two, slotted from 11th to fighting Victory lane while battling ex‑team‑mate Brown. The clash at Turn 1 no doubt sharpened the competition clock.
Race Results Snapshot
- Race 1 – 1. M. Payne (80), 2. R. Wood (0.6884), 3. A. De Pasquale (0.6884), 4. C. Waters (1.7254), 5. C. Mostert (1.0344), 6. K. Allen (0.4793), 7. B. Feeney (0.3820), 8. A. Heimgartner (0.5461), 9. T. Randle (2.6182), 10. R. Gray (0.4351)
- Race 2 – 1. B. Feeney (1.5833 seconds behind), 2. M. Payne (1.5833), 3. K. Allen (4.1345), 4. C. Mostert (7.0942), 5. W. Brown (0.6593), 6. B. Kostecki (0.3549), 7. A. Heimgartner (4.3979), 8. R. Wood (3.1219), 9. C. Waters (0.3157), 10. T. Randle (3.0857)
With one more sprint standing on the line, the Perth finale will test how the battle‑line teams manage tyre strategy and lapped traffic to keep Payne’s lead above the fray.
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