Matt Payne displayed an impressive performance in the second Supercars race held in Townsville, where he dominated with his Ford Mustang from Grove Racing. Starting from the second position, Payne set the pace in an action-packed event last Saturday.
During the 68-lap race, Payne managed to pull away 11 seconds from his rivals after the first cycle of pit stops. His lead remained over 10 seconds in the second half of the race, allowing him to discuss tire strategies with his engineer for the 200 km race scheduled for Sunday.
Payne’s trajectory was aided by a problem during Brodie Kostecki‘s pit stop, who lost four positions when his team was unable to effectively change the left rear tire. Although the Dick Johnson Racing Mustang had good pace, it was not enough to overtake Payne, with Kostecki ultimately finishing in third place.
“It got a bit lonely,” admitted Payne. “We like to have control and manage the race from our side. I didn’t start so well, but the team did an excellent job and I was able to save fuel, which was key for the position on track.”
Among the Fords, Anton De Pasquale finished second, a highly regarded result after qualifying in the top ten. Despite no Chevrolet Camaro making it to the Shout Out, the Team 18 driver managed to gain positions and focused on the cars ahead to secure a spot on the podium.
“The race was much better,” commented De Pasquale. “I had fresher tires, and I was able to take advantage of it. I’ve been saving fuel, but we had enough margin.”
Kostecki, after some problematic stops, had to settle for third place. “It’s very unfortunate, but it’s a long year and the car was fast during the race,” he reflected. “Sometimes this is what happens in racing.”
Behind the top three, the two Fords from Tickford, Thomas Randle and Cam Waters, remained competitive until the final straight, with Watts yielding a position to Randle. Waters, who had won the previous race, could not maintain the same pace and suffered a setback with his exhaust system.
With this victory, which was the tenth of his career, Matt Payne has extended his lead in the championship, preparing to face the next race on Sunday.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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