Matthew Payne and Callum Hedge have both finished in the top ten, taking fifth and ninth respectively in the weekend’s third Porsche Carrera Cup race at Bathurst.
Matthew Payne got off to a strong start in today’s race, gaining two positions early in the first lap before the safety car was brought out for an incident at the chase.
Max Vidau was pushed wide onto the grass at the end of conrod straight, the car skating over the grass and gravel before cutting back across the track at the chase between cars, before getting stuck in the gravel trap on the outside of the track.
A number of other cars ran wide, unable to see what was happening through the dust cloud from Vidau’s incident, which saw kiwis Payne and Hedge grain a spot before the safety car was called.
Hedge also get a good start to the race holding the position he qualified through the first lap, gaining one after the incident at the chase.
Though Hedge was able to keep up with Payne for much of the race the pair running seventh and eighth for the middle portion of the race, Hedge started to drop back in the last five laps, finishing ninth. Payne was able to gain a spot to move into sixth with a few laps remaining.
With one lap to get David Wall who had been fighting for the lead and the championship, pulled into pit lane, after suffering an issue with the left rear, though he was able to get back out on track to be classified as a finisher.
The drama for Wall moved Payne and Hedge up a spot, to fifth and ninth respectively where the pair would finish.
After starting the race 20th Madeline Stewart finished in 20th though she was able to keep improving on her lap times throughout the race, getting closer to the times of the other cars around her.