MATT PAYNE CRUSHES REST OF SUPERCARS FIELD

July 11, 2026
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Race 21 Supercars Report

Matt Payne didn’t just win Race 21 in the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship, he crushed the rest of the field. In a category where parity is key, a 15.5 second gap to the next best expresses an utter dominance of the race.

Though it didn’t quite start that way.

Brodie Kostecki had claimed another pole position in the shootout, with Payne in P2. Rookie Reuben Goodall impressed with P19 for Race 21, beating the BJR squad, Jack LeBrocq and nearly Broc Feeney in 18th as well. Jackson Walls out-qualified his fellow Triple Eight teammate in 14th, with Will Brown the best of the trio in 12th.

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As the race began it was Kostecki who held the inside line for Turns 1 and 2, effectively leaving Payne out to dry. Randle tucked in behind the Shell V-Power Mustang a tad too close, bumping the rear of the leader in the process, while Cameron Waters followed his Castrol sponsored teammate towards Turn 3.

James Golding’s excellent qualifying came to nought after copping friendly fire from Aaron Cameron on the exit of Turn 2. That contact pushed the right rear guard onto the Cooldrive Mustang’s trye, which gave out on the approach to Turn 11.

An early visit to the pitlane for one tyre and repairs ended any hopes for the win.

Goodall was determined to make his mark on the race and did so in more ways than one. An early stoush between the wildcard and fellow Super 2 graduates Zach Bates, Cooper Murray and Jackson Walls ended with Bates sideways at the exit of the final corner after a helping hand from Goodall.

By Lap 20 it was Kostecki, Payne and Randle at the front. Wood was the best of the non-Ford runners in 8th, one place clear of de Pasquale. Mostert sat on the edge of the Top 10 sandwiched between Brown and Feeney with his team offering an early first stop option to find clean air.

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Pitstops were going to play and major factor in the two-stop race, with Brodie Kostecki in for is first stop on Lap 21. A problem with the left rear tyre led to an agonising 20 second delay for the #17 as a replacement wheel and tyre were sourced.

The next portion of the race belonged to Payne and De Pasquale. The Penrite Racing Mustang sat over 10 seconds clear of Randle in second, with Waters, Kostecki and Wood in close pursuit. De Pasquale was also in that pack, having clawed five places up the leaderboard to challenge for the podium.

Told to watch fuel numbers before the final stops, Ryan Wood was embroiled in a battle with Brown and Allen for position on Lap 41. A late move under brakes gave Brown the advantage at Turn 11, but Wood wasn’t done yet. Squeezed by Allen on the approach to Turn 2, Wood glanced the left rear of Brown’s car, resulting in a steady plume of smoke from the tyre rubbing against the guard.

Allen then dived inside the #2 Toyota Supra at Turn 11, making contact with Wood’s front wheel and damaging his steering. Wood was left stranded with the nose close to the tyre barriers, while Allen quickly peeled into the pitlane for his final stop. Wood finally managed to reverse the Truck Assist machine and get the car back to the pitlane.

As the final round of stops drew to a close it was Payne 11 seconds clear of the field, with De Pasquale just over a second clear of third-placed Kostecki.

Payne crossed the line over 16 seconds clear of second-placed Anton De Pasquale, with Brodie Kostecki third.

Waters, Randle, Brown, Mostert, Feeney, Le Brocq and Reynolds were the top 10.

“Well done guys, that was a mega race,” Matt Payne radioed back to his team on the cool down lap.

A BIG thank you to our Photo Sponsors for this round in MND Victoria.

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