After a relatively positive Race 14 qualifying for the Kiwi trio, there was every reason to be optimistic heading into Race 15 qualifying. Following the same format as the previous session, drivers needed to focus on getting through to the second session to take pole.
Qualifying
The first session was headlined by a big shunt for Kai Allen on the start finish straight, after running wide on the exit of the final turn onto the grass. The session was paused while Allen’s car was recovered, and it was back to slippery conditions when drivers headed back out on track. All three drivers showed good pace and were able to get into the next session, with Heimgartner a favourite for pole.
It was a short, sharp session for the Kiwi trio, with Heimgartner setting the pace early on and was able to end the session on top, taking a magnificent pole position. Payne kept Heimgartner honest as he qualified in second, making it a all-Kiwi front row. However, Wood was close behind, qualifying fourth for the fifty-lap sprint.
Race
On the start, Heimgartner got a good launch, allowing him to stay ahead of Broc Feeney who had jumped Payne on the start. One spot back, Wood held position in fourth place, dropping slightly back on the group ahead.
Over the next six laps, Heimgartner and Feeney were inseperable through every turn. It may have been deja vu for Feeney, after a similar scenario cost him time and a podium in Race 14. It remained a Kiwi 1/2/4, with de Pasquale holding the fastest lap in seventh.
By lap nine, the weather started to change as the shine out of the sun vanished. After a day of mixed conditions, it was unclear what would come next. The gap between Heimgartner and Feeney slowly started to extend out, and it got up to half a second by lap fourteen.
Race 14 winner Mostert collided with Premiair’s Jayden Ojeda on lap fifteen, sending the Premiair Chevrolet facing the wrong way, beached off track. Thankfully, Ojeda was able to keep the car moving, allowing the race to continue under green.
After trailing Wood since the start of the race, Kostecki used all of his side doors to pass the Kiwi down the dipper, with Wood giving it back as he flung the car up onto the kerb on the final corner, getting past the former champion a few laps later. This allowed fellow countryman Payne to run away up the road, with the gap growing up to over a second.
It became a tit for tat between Wood and Kostecki, with the coverage showing that Reynolds had rear-ended Kostecki, leaving the Shell V-Power Racing driver with a huge amount of smoke coming off the car. Wood did not hesitate and quickly got past Kostecki, but the gap to Payne had opened up to almost six seconds.
Kostecki eventually had to come in for a stop, throwing him down the order. Wood soon followed, emerging behind drivers who had already pitted.
Out front, Heimgartner remained a second ahead of Feeney, with Payne a second back himself. Heimgartner soon headed into the lane on lap thirty for four tyres, with Payne following his countryman into the lane, but only electing for two tyres. Feeney also came in for a pitstop, but emerged behind Payne, making it a Kiwi 1-2.
Although Payne and Feeney were running on different strategies, Payne used all his experience to defend against Feeney, who was on four new tyres. After defending hard for many laps, Feeney got past on lap thirty-five.
That battle allowed Heimgartner to run away in the lead, who was able to edge the gap behind out to almost four seconds.
Declan Frazer did not want to feel left out and was spun in the exact same spot as his teammate, leaving him off track. He was able to keep his Chevrolet running and soon emerged back on track.
Payne’s defensive work allowed Heimgartner to feel comfortable in the closing laps, and the Kiwi came home for his first win since Race 7 in Taupo in 2024.
It turned out to be a double Kiwi podium as Payne was able to come home in third place, edging out de Pasquale after some late race pressure.
Wood was unfortunate to cycle behind other drivers during his strategy, meaning he finished the race in seventh place, ahead of his teammate Mostert who finished twenty-first.
Race 16 will take place tomorrow at 4:45pm, with a qualifying taking place at 1:35pm before the top 10 shootout at 2:30pm.
