![\"\u2018Massive](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Matthew-Payne-50868399702_953953f1c4_o-scaled.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMatthew Payne (left) and New Zealand Grand Prix winner Shane van Gisbergen. Picture: Bruce Jenkins<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMatthew Payne (left) and New Zealand Grand Prix winner Shane van Gisbergen. Picture: Bruce Jenkins<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Payne was a candidate to join the Chevrolet team Richard Childress Racing at Sonoma until it was blocked by his Supercars team Grove Racing.<\/a><\/p>\n Grove\u2019s relationship with Ford was cited as a stumbling block amid a tense tug-of-war with General Motors over Payne\u2019s services.<\/p>\n Payne is contracted to Grove through 2027<\/a>, meaning a NASCAR opportunity would have to come via Ford next year or wait until 2028 to look elsewhere once a seemingly inevitable Team 18 move happens.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d love to see him do it,\u201d said van Gisbergen of Payne in NASCAR.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he\u2019s a massive talent.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was only just starting when I left, but from what I saw, he was really good.<\/p>\n Tickets for the 2026 NTI Townsville 500 are on sale now. Secure your spot today. \u201cIt sounds like he wants to come do it, so hopefully he can have a go.\u201d<\/p>\n While Payne wasn\u2019t able to make a NASCAR Cup Series start happen, fellow Supercars star Broc Feeney was on site at Sonoma.<\/p>\n The Triple Eight driver has long harboured NASCAR ambitions, though opportunities have not come to fruition for lack of funding or opportunities.<\/p>\n Feeney tried to make a start last year with Chevrolet team Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR O\u2019Reilly Auto Parts Series<\/a> (then NASCAR Xfinity Series).<\/p>\n Instead, his Triple Eight teammate Will Brown got the nod.<\/p>\n Triple Eight\u2019s move to Ford has also limited opportunities for Feeney and Brown.<\/p>\n There are no full-time teams in the NASCAR O\u2019Reilly Auto Parts Series campaigning the blue oval.<\/p>\n In any case, van Gisbergen said he is keen to see more Supercars drivers give it a go and met with Feeney at Sonoma.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, I hope,\u201d said van Gisbergen when asked whether more Supercars drivers could make the stock car racing switch.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s cool that Broc Feeney\u2019s here this weekend. It was cool to catch up with him for dinner last night, and I know he\u2019d love to do a race and a couple of others, too.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I certainly welcome it. I think it\u2019s appealing to teams, in some ways.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to have strong road course guys, but you\u2019ve got to commit to a big building phase on the ovals, as we\u2019ve seen.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d love to see more come and try and do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
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