Thomas Randle surged to the top of the timesheets in the final moments of a tightly contested Practice 2 session at the 2025 Supercars Townsville 500, clocking a rapid 1:13.046s at the end of the short 30-minute hit-out.
The Tickford Racing driver eclipsed Broc Feeney’s earlier benchmark by just over a tenth of a second, in a session that saw a flurry of fast laps as the chequered flag waved.
Feeney had earlier looked set to hold onto P1 with a 1:13.153s, but was pipped late by Randle. Behind them, Cam Waters bounced back from a frustrating Friday to claim third, while reigning champion Brodie Kostecki slotted into fourth.
Matt Payne emerged as the top Kiwi performer, rounding out the top five with a fast late run in his Grove Racing Mustang.
Kiwi Wrap – Mixed Fortunes Across the Board
It was a mixed session for the five New Zealand drivers in the field, with Payne flying the flag in style while others battled through varying challenges.
Matt Payne started the session down in 12th but steadily climbed the order as the track evolved. With just minutes remaining, Payne fired in a lap just 0.090s off Feeney’s time, briefly holding second before being shuffled back to fifth as the late charge intensified.
His strong one-lap pace again proved a bright spot for Grove Racing, which also saw rookie teammate Kai Allen end up third fastest.
Andre Heimgartner was consistently in the mix throughout the session, ultimately finishing 13th fastest with a 1:13.596s lap, just over half a second adrift of Randle’s best. He slotted into the top ten early but was pushed down the order in the late flurry.
Ryan Wood, who topped the first practice session earlier in the day, had a more disrupted second outing. The 20-year-old rookie sat in the pits for a large portion of the session, using his additional rookie tyre set sparingly.
After sitting last (24th) with just minutes to go, Wood jumped to 16th on his final flyer, ending the session 0.627s off the pace.
Jaxon Evans, returning to form in a back-up car following his heavy Darwin crash, made small improvements across the session. He ended up 19th, a respectable result given his limited running and ongoing adjustment to the replacement chassis.
Richie Stanaway showed glimpses of pace midway through the session, leaping as high as 5th on one of his better runs. But as others improved late, the PremiAir Racing driver slid back to 21st, finishing just over a second off the leading time.
Rookie drivers made the most of their extra tyre allocation in Practice 2. Aaron Cameron briefly held the top spot with a 1:13.620s before being overtaken by a string of quick times.
Cooper Murray also impressed, going second fastest at one stage and finishing solidly inside the top ten. Both drivers showed the value of fresh rubber in an evolving session.
Practice Highlights & Fast Movers
The session began with Chaz Mostert leading the way after the warm-up lap, only to be pipped early by Jack Le Brocq with a 1:13.921s. The lead time continued to fall throughout the half-hour as drivers cycled through setup changes and new tyres.
Cam Waters, battling ongoing mechanical and setup issues since Practice 1, managed an encouraging turnaround to finish third, while Will Davison briefly held the top spot with a 1:13.583s before being demoted in the final moments.
As the clock ran down, the top ten changed rapidly, with Payne, Allen, Waters, Brown, and Kostecki all trading positions in a frantic final two minutes.
With Practice 2 complete, attention now turns to qualifying as drivers prepare to fight for grid position on the tough and unforgiving Townsville street circuit.
Kiwi fans will have their eyes on Payne, who looks ready to challenge at the front, while Wood’s fresh tyres and early practice form suggest he could spring a surprise. Heimgartner will aim to convert consistent pace into a strong starting spot, while Evans and Stanaway will hope to rebound after challenging sessions.
Qualifying gets underway at 3.20pm this afternoon—stay tuned.
Header Image: Penrite Racing
