After a comfortable win in Race 23, Matthew Payne was unable to make it a perfect Saturday after being pipped by Broc Feeney for the win. Andre Heimgartner and Ryan Wood both got caught further down the order, and finished in seventh and eighth.
Payne was able to get away with a great launch, winning the drag race to the first corner as he kept Feeney at bay. Behind, Thomas Randle and Kai Allen almost got together, with the Castrol Mustang of Randle losing control as he went up the hill, allowing Heimgartner to move into fourth.
Wood was able to jump Anton de Pasquale to move into tenth and start his charge forward. By lap ten, Payne held both the fastest lap and a comfortable lead, with the Kiwi over a second and a half ahead of Feeney.
Heimgartner started to lose the front three ahead and was under significant pressure from Mostert. Meanwhile, Wood was able to move from ninth in a close battle with Waters, as they started to bash panels across the start/finish line.
Mostert was the first to head into the pitlane in an aggressive strategy, and was followed in by de Pasquale and Wood. Wood again elected for four tyres and fuel, and headed to the rear of the field.
After twenty laps Payne maintained a three and a half second lead. Behind, Allen headed into the lane, meaning Heimgartner sat in second.
Payne headed in on lap twenty-five, and it was a slower than optimal stop. To add to the stress, Payne emerged in traffic, allowing Feeney to close the gap.
One lap later, Heimgartner headed into the pits for a four tyre stop. Heimgartner emerged between Brodie Kostecki and Wood on exit, and started to pressure the #17.
The slower stop and pit exit traffic allowed Feeney to close up rapidly, which allowed Feeney to get past over the start/finish line. Allen was also able to close up, but had not made an initial pass.
Feeney immediately started to look fast and started to pull away, while holding the fastest lap. Meanwhile, Payne started to complain of understeer, and was not as happy as he was in the first race of the day.
Down the order, Heimgartner and Wood held seventh and eighth. Heimgartner had dropped away from Kostecki, while Wood held a second lead over Randle.
With fifteen laps to go, Feeney held a six tenth lead over Payne. However, Payne looked quick in certain areas of the circuit, and was able to keep Feeney in his sights.
Payne did not let Feeney run away, and the gap remained under a second with ten to go. Further back, Heimgartner still held a comfortable seventh, with Wood under pressure from Randle while holding eighth.
However, Feeney was simply untouchable out front as he pulled away to bring home a much-needed victory, while breaking Triple 888’s podium drought. Heimgartner and Wood were able to stay in seventh and eighth, with Heimgartner moving down one spot since the start, while Wood climbed up three.
Supercars will be back on track at 3:00pm NZST for Qualifying for Race 25.
