It was a landmark day for New Zealand motorsport fans as the Repco Supercars Championship delivered high drama and high rewards on Kiwi soil. Matt Payne claimed a commanding victory at Taupō International Motorsport Park, leading home a sensational double Kiwi podium with fellow countryman Ryan Wood charging through in the final laps to secure third.
In a race filled with chaos, penalties, carnage, and clever strategy, Payne remained cool under pressure to bring home a hard-fought win. The 21-year-old outgunned polesitter Brodie Kostecki off the line with a brave move into Turn 2 and never looked back, expertly managing a mid-race restart to cross the line with a 4.1-second buffer over second-placed Cam Waters.
But the Taupō crowd roared loudest when Ryan Wood made his move for the podium in the dying laps. After stalking Anton De Pasquale for much of the race, the young Kiwi pounced when it mattered most, snatching third to make it a double podium for New Zealand on home turf.
Adding to the Kiwi celebration, André Heimgartner fought his way into the top ten, finishing a gritty race in 10th after starting 14th. Three New Zealanders in the top ten capped off a memorable day for the home fans.
The race itself was anything but straightforward. Chaos erupted early when Thomas Randle was handed a 15-second penalty for an incident on Lap 5 going into Turn 1 as he made contact with the rear of Chaz Mostert’s Mustang, spinning into the grass and dropping 14 places from 7th to 21st.
A safety car on Lap 11 triggered a flurry of pit stops, which added drama. Cameron Hill collided with a loose wheel from the DJR pit box, and pit strategy shuffled the field considerably. Payne held his lead through the shuffle, while others like Kostecki and Will Davison lost crucial ground.
Post-restart, the elbows came out again as wheel-to-wheel contact between Golding and Heimgartner at Turn 8 pushed the Kiwi wide. Still, he recovered sufficiently to rejoin the fray. Further back, Cooper Murray and James Courtney’s battle for 19th ended with Murray in the gravel and slipping down the order.
Mostert attempted to claw his way back in the race after his Turn 1 incident, moving up five places to 16th with 17 laps to go.
Randle was then turned around later in the race, with only 15 laps to go at the exit of Turn 2, when Kostecki made contact with the rear of his Mustang. The ironic incident saw Randle tumble down the pack to end up last in the field, on top of the 15-second penalty he would serve at the end of the race.
Kostecki was handed down with a 15-second time penalty for the contact that caused the spin.
In the final laps, the tension ramped up. Kostecki made a bold move on Hill for sixth. Still, with a 15-second penalty hanging over him for the earlier contact with Randle, his top-five hopes were dashed as he tumbled out of the top 10 in the final classification. The Matt Stone Racing team ordered Hill to let Kostecki pass as it didn’t matter in the final race results.
The chequered flag fell with Payne unfazed upfront with a 4.1s gap, delivering a masterclass in composure and speed. Waters pushed hard but couldn’t get close enough to challenge, while Wood’s late-race heroics sealed a historic moment for the Kiwi contingent.
In the final classification, after time penalties were added, Kostecki finished 12th and Randle 22nd.
Final Top 10 Results:
- Matt Payne (NZ)
- Cam Waters
- Ryan Wood (NZ)
- Anton De Pasquale
- Will Brown
- Cameron Hill
- Jack Le Brocq
- Kai Allen
- André Heimgartner (NZ)
- James Golding
Kiwi driver Richie Stanaway finished 17th ahead of fellow Kiwi Jaxon Evans in 18th.
As the Supercars championship continues to heat up, the Kiwi charge has arrived well and truly. With Payne, Wood, and Heimgartner all inside the top 10 and two on the podium, Taupō has delivered a proud moment for New Zealand motorsport.
The Supercars action isn’t over yet, as Race 9 kicks off at 4.05 pm this afternoon.
Header Image: Jessica Barnes / Blissful Photography
