{"id":520667,"date":"2026-07-11T08:46:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T08:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/520667\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T08:46:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T08:46:17","slug":"supercars-news-matt-payne-scores-saturday-townsville-500-win-anton-de-pasquale-stars-for-team-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/520667\/","title":{"rendered":"Supercars news: Matt Payne scores Saturday Townsville 500 win, Anton De Pasquale stars for Team 18"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Payne
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGrove Racing’s Matt Payne during the NTI Townsville 500. Image: InSyde Media<\/p>\n

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\"\"\/
<\/a><\/p>\n

Dick Johnson Racing driver Brodie Kostecki led the opening stanza but had his hopes cruelled by a slow pit stop.<\/p>\n

Payne inherited the lead after Kostecki\u2019s tyre trauma and was never challenged as he stretched his advantage to more than 10 seconds.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the first win for Payne since the fourth race of the Christchurch Super440 weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t get a great start, but managed to stay in second,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe guys did an excellent job in the pit lane and [I] saved a bit of fuel, which helped us with track position.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just great to drive around here. It felt a bit lonely at times, but I\u2019d rather that than battling in the pack.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tickets for the 2026 NTI Townsville 500 are on sale now. Secure your spot today.
\n Buy tickets<\/a><\/p>\n

While it was a dominant display from Payne, there were plaudits for Anton De Pasquale and Team 18.<\/p>\n

They executed an impressive strategy that vaulted the Camaro from 11th to second.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe car was a lot better then. We had a little swing at it and the guys did a good job to give me a fresher tyre and clean air to use that speed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was hoping it was going to cough across the line because I was saving fuel for a long time. But we had enough margin to Brodie to play it on the safe side.\u201d<\/p>\n

Team mate on team mate contact for BRT on Lap 1 in Townsville!!!<\/p>\n

Follow the Race 21 Live Feed here: https:\/\/t.co\/FS1IOaANsU<\/a> #RepcoSC<\/a> #Supercars<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/mUK594zzEF<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Supercars (@supercars) July 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Initially, Kostecki got the jump on Payne who found himself vulnerable to an attack from fast starter Thomas Randle.<\/p>\n

The Tickford Racing driver looked like he might snag second but the Grove Racing Mustang ran around his outside at Turn 2 to maintain his starting position.<\/p>\n

James Golding\u2019s good qualifying unravelled on the opening lap when the right rear corner of his Blanchard Racing Team Mustang got caved in off the nose of teammate Aaron Cameron.<\/p>\n

So bad was the rubbing that the right rear tyre popped entering Turn 11 and forced Golding into an unscheduled pit stop on the opening lap.<\/p>\n

At the end of Lap 1, the top three were unchanged. Cameron Waters (Tickford Racing) and Ryan Wood (Walkinshaw TWG) swapped positions to be fourth and fifth respectively.<\/p>\n

Anton De Pasquale (Team 18) was the biggest mover on the first lap to sixth from 11th ahead of Kai Allen (Grove Racing), Will Brown (Triple Eight), Aaron Cameron and Chaz Mostert (Walkinshaw TWG).<\/p>\n

By Lap 8, Triple Eight\u2019s Broc Feeney had cracked the top 10, making up eight positions from where he started following his lacklustre qualifying.<\/p>\n

Tickford Racing wildcard Reuben Goodall was given a five-second penalty for shot-cutting Turn 2 on the opening lap.<\/p>\n

Zach Bates wound up facing the wrong way when Goodall got into the back of the Matt Stone Racing Camaro at the final turn.<\/p>\n

Goodall was given a 15-second penalty on top of his earlier sanction to serve during the first round of pit stops.<\/p>\n

Payne was the first to blink on Lap 19, pitting out of second with a 1.2-second deficit to Kostecki. Mostert, who had just been overtaken by Feeney for ninth, followed suit.<\/p>\n

A disaster pit stop for race leader Brodie Kostecki!<\/p>\n

Follow the Race 21 Live Feed here: https:\/\/t.co\/FS1IOaANsU<\/a> #RepcoSC<\/a> #Supercars<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ArsunEaIWC<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Supercars (@supercars) July 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Kostecki responded on Lap 20, pitting out of the lead. In a brutal blow to his chances, the left rear wheel was slow to go on and cost him valuable time.<\/p>\n

De Pasquale led the Chevrolet contingent and ran long, finally pitting on Lap 30.<\/p>\n

Once the field was cleansed, Payne led Randle to the tune of 10 seconds. He led a gaggle of cars, including Waters, Kostecki, Wood, Brown, Allen, Feeney, De Pasquale and Mostert.<\/p>\n

De Pasquale\u2019s decision to run long began to pay dividends in the second stint. By Lap 36, he had dispatched Allen, Brown and Wood to crack the top five.<\/p>\n

Fifth became fourth on Lap 38 for De Pasquale with a pass on Kostecki and on Lap 40, De Pasquale dispatched Waters for third.<\/p>\n

What a crazy two laps between Will Brown, Ryan Wood, Kai Allen and Chaz Mostert!!!<\/p>\n

Follow the Race 21 Live Feed here: https:\/\/t.co\/FS1IOaANsU<\/a> #RepcoSC<\/a> #Supercars<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/nmviVlhNUd<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Supercars (@supercars) July 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

A spirited battle pack emerged for sixth onwards, headed by Brown and Wood.<\/p>\n

On Lap 41, seventh-placed Allen looked to Wood\u2019s inside at Turn 11. The Walkinshaw TWG Toyota went defensive and closed the door on the Grove Mustang.<\/p>\n

At the apex, Allen got loose and made light contact with Wood\u2019s right front wheel and bent the steering. Wood parked his car momentarily before limping back to the pits.<\/p>\n

Allen pulled into the pits just seconds after the clash, following in Kostecki who began the second round of pit stops in earnest.<\/p>\n

De Pasquale\u2019s march forward continued on Lap 43 with a pass on Randle at the penultimate turn. At that point, Payne led De Pasquale by 11 seconds.<\/p>\n

Randle pitted on Lap 45 from third and lost a position to Kostecki, whose undercut came good.<\/p>\n

Payne pitted for the final time on Lap 50 with De Pasquale in tow, putting them on level pegging.<\/p>\n

On corrected order, Payne led Kostecki by six-and-a-half seconds. Randle was third and De Pasquale fourth \u2013 albeit on newer tyres than the two cars ahead of him \u2013 while Waters was fifth.<\/p>\n

Randle\u2019s podium hopes were thwarted on Lap 53 when De Pasquale got by at Turn 11.<\/p>\n

On Lap 55, De Pasquale dispatched Kostecki at the final turn.<\/p>\n

De Pasquale went into conservation mode thereafter, saving fuel deluxe. That brought Kostecki back into the picture in the fight for second, though the Dick Johnson Racing Mustang ultimately never challenged the Team 18 Camaro.<\/p>\n

At the front, Payne clinched victory by 15 seconds over De Pasquale. Kostecki was third and just seven tenths in arrears.<\/p>\n

Waters and Randle completed the top five for Tickford Racing ahead of Brown, Mostert, Feeney,
Jack Le Brocq and David Reynold.<\/p>\n

Results: Repco Supercars Championship NTI Townsville 500, Race 2<\/p>\n

Pos
\nNum
\nDriver
\nTeam
\nCar
\nLaps\/Diff
\nGap<\/p>\n

1
\n19
\nMatthew Payne
\nGrove Racing
\nFord Mustang GT
\n68 laps<\/p>\n

2
\n18
\nAnton De Pasquale
\nTeam 18
\nChev Camaro ZL1
\n15.2885
\n15.2885<\/p>\n

3
\n17
\nBrodie Kostecki
\nDick Johnson Racing
\nFord Mustang GT
\n16.0283
\n0.7398<\/p>\n

4
\n6
\nCameron Waters
\nTickford Racing
\nFord Mustang GT
\n20.0207
\n3.9924<\/p>\n

5
\n55
\nThomas Randle
\nTickford Racing
\nFord Mustang GT
\n20.9078
\n0.8871<\/p>\n

6
\n888
\nWilliam Brown
\nTriple Eight Race Engineering
\nFord Mustang GT
\n21.6969
\n0.7891<\/p>\n

7
\n1
\nChaz Mostert
\nWalkinshaw TWG Racing
\nToyota GR Supra A90
\n24.1272
\n2.4303<\/p>\n

8
\n88
\nBroc Feeney
\nTriple Eight Race Engineering
\nFord Mustang GT
\n26.9569
\n2.8297<\/p>\n

9
\n4
\nJack Le Brocq
\nMatt Stone Racing
\nChev Camaro ZL1
\n27.6907
\n0.7338<\/p>\n

10
\n20
\nDavid Reynolds
\nTeam 18
\nChev Camaro ZL1
\n33.0126
\n5.3219<\/p>\n

11
\n31
\nJayden Ojeda
\nPremiAir Racing
\nChev Camaro ZL1
\n35.2263
\n2.2137<\/p>\n

12
\n26
\nKai Allen
\nGrove Racing
\nFord Mustang GT
\n38.6604
\n3.4341<\/p>\n

13
\n99
\nCooper Murray
\nErebus Motorsport
\nChev Camaro ZL1
\n39.6718
\n1.0114<\/p>\n

14
\n10
\nZach Bates
\nMatt Stone Racing
\nChev Camaro ZL1
\n43.9151
\n4.2433<\/p>\n

15
\n3
\nAaron Cameron
\nBlanchard Racing Team
\nFord Mustang GT
\n48.0254
\n4.1103<\/p>\n

16
\n8
\nAndre Heimgartner
\nBrad Jones Racing
\nToyota GR Supra A90
\n54.2786
\n6.2532<\/p>\n

17
\n38
\nRylan Gray
\nDick Johnson Racing
\nFord Mustang GT
\n1:01.0996
\n6.821<\/p>\n

18
\n11
\nJackson Walls
\nTriple Eight Race Engineering
\nFord Mustang GT
\n1:06.6009
\n5.5013<\/p>\n

19
\n96
\nMacauley Jones
\nBrad Jones Racing
\nToyota GR Supra A90
\n1:07.0706
\n0.4697<\/p>\n

20
\n9
\nJobe Stewart
\nErebus Motorsport
\nChev Camaro ZL1
\n1:13.5020
\n6.4314<\/p>\n

21
\n777
\nDeclan Fraser
\nPremiAir Racing
\nChev Camaro ZL1
\n1 lap
\n5.7374<\/p>\n

22
\n7
\nJames Golding
\nBlanchard Racing Team
\nFord Mustang GT
\n1 lap
\n19.5627<\/p>\n

23
\n30
\nAaron Seton
\nMatt Stone Racing
\nChev Camaro ZL1
\n1 lap
\n19.7471<\/p>\n

24
\n5
\nReuben Goodall
\nTickford Racing
\nFord Mustang GT
\n1 lap
\n27.9877<\/p>\n

25
\n14
\nCameron Hill
\nBrad Jones Racing
\nToyota GR Supra A90
\n2 laps
\n41.5176<\/p>\n

26
\n2
\nRyan Wood
\nWalkinshaw TWG Racing
\nToyota GR Supra A90
\n8 laps
\n5 laps<\/p>\n

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