​New Zealand driver Matt Payne has secured his place in the bp Adelaide Grand Final after topping off an exceptional performance at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 with a decisive victory in Race 34. The result caps off a dominant multi-day showing for Payne, marking his first race win since August, when he tasted victory at the Bosch Power Tools Perth Super 440.
Payne maintained consistent single-lap speed and race pace throughout the event. He secured two pole positions across the weekend during the Boost Mobile Top 10 Shootouts conducted on both Saturday and Sunday. In addition to his pole positions, Payne claimed second place in Race 33 before returning to the track for Race 34 to take the top step of the podium.
Following his triumph at Sandown, Payne leads the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship Finals standings with a total of 4438 points. He enters the championship decider as the leading contender in a narrowed field of four drivers who remain eligible to compete for the overall title.
Behind Payne, Shell V-Power Racing Team driver Brodie Kostecki holds second position in the finals standings, trailing the Kiwi leader by 121 points. Red Bull Ampol Racing driver Broc Feeney sits in third place, 136 points off the lead, while Mobil1 Optus Racing driver Chaz Mostert occupies fourth position, tied with Feeney at 136 points behind Payne.
Sandown Elimination Race Narrows Title Contenders
Race 34 at Sandown served as the final qualifying milestone for drivers attempting to reach the season finale, reducing the championship field from seven initial finalists down to four. Team 18 driver Anton De Pasquale mounted a strong challenge, finishing the race in second position after starting from second on the grid. However, De Pasquale entered the contest requiring an outright victory to advance to the final round. By finishing behind Payne, De Pasquale was officially eliminated from contention for the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship.
Broc Feeney and Chaz Mostert managed their races to collect the necessary points required for progression. Feeney crossed the finish line in fourth position for Red Bull Ampol Racing, while Mostert brought his Mobil1 Optus Racing entry home in fifth position. Both drivers earned sufficient points over the weekend to lock in their places for the title decider.
Brodie Kostecki experienced a more complicated race in his Shell V-Power Racing Team car. Kostecki was forced to serve a drive-through penalty during Race 34, which dropped him down the order to finish in 10th position. Despite the penalty, Kostecki had already earned enough points to challenge for the championship, supported by his race victory in Race 33 on Saturday.
The conclusion of Race 34 also confirmed the elimination of two prominent championship figures. Will Brown and Cam Waters, who both entered the Sandown 500 weekend ranked among the seven original title finalists, failed to secure enough points to advance and were removed from championship contention.
In contrast to the championship eliminations, Melbourne native Cooper Murray achieved a major career milestone during Race 34. Murray drove his PremiAir Racing car to a third-place finish, securing his first career Supercars podium. The podium result comes in only his second event competing for PremiAir Racing.
Supercars Championship Title to be Decided in Adelaide
The 2026 Repco Supercars Championship will culminate at the bp Adelaide Grand Final. The four remaining contenders, Matt Payne, Brodie Kostecki, Broc Feeney, and Chaz Mostert, will compete directly against one another to determine who will be crowned the season champion.
Motorsport fans can watch live coverage of the Supercars Grand Final across multiple broadcast channels, including the screens of Seven, 7plus, and Fox Sports, which is available on Kayo SPORTS. Fans wishing to attend the event in person can purchase tickets and premium hospitality experiences through Supercars.com.
