Matt Payne lit up the inaugural ITM Super 440 in Taupō with a stirring performance, claiming a career-defining win on home soil to kick off Saturday’s racing in style. The Penrite Racing driver surged to victory in Race 8 of the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship, holding off title contender Cam Waters in a commanding display that left the local crowd roaring.
The win marked Payne’s first of the 2025 season and his first since Townsville last July. Even more significantly, it made him just the fifth New Zealander in history to win a Supercars race on home turf—joining the legendary company of Greg Murphy, Shane van Gisbergen, Scott McLaughlin and Andre Heimgartner.
“It’s pretty special here today,” Payne said after climbing out of the #19 Penrite Ford Mustang. “We had a good qualifying, and I knew we had really good speed for the race. I just needed to get the start, and we did that.”
And get the start he did. After lights out, Matt Payne went side-by-side with Brodie Kostecki into Turn 1, clinging to the inside line through Turn 2 to retain the lead. It was a bold move that set the tone for a confident, assured drive under pressure.
Kostecki kept the heat on early, but Payne remained composed, withstanding the challenge before gradually edging away. “We were really good in the first stint,” Payne said. “Then I saw there was a potential Safety Car with the Wendy’s car… I got a bit scared because I was out there by myself when everyone else pitted and I thought, ‘Oh no, this could just happen.’”
But fate was on Payne’s side. When the Safety Car did emerge following a mechanical failure for Jones on lap 10, the pit stop shuffle played out favourably. Payne emerged still in the lead, now ahead of Waters and Anton De Pasquale.
Behind the front-runners, chaos reigned. Incidents involving Thomas Randle, Chaz Mostert, Cooper Murray and Cameron Hill saw multiple drivers penalised, including 15-second time penalties for Randle, Hill, and later Kostecki.
As the field settled post-Safety Car, Waters briefly looked threatening, applying pressure through Turn 1 on the restart. But Payne was having none of it. The Kiwi quickly re-established a margin, his Ford Mustang showing strong pace on the clear track ahead.
“It’s just insane, seeing the crowd on the in-lap, everyone is clapping here,” Payne beamed. “The Penrite Ford Mustang is pretty quick today—let’s see what we’ve got in the next one.”
The final laps saw Payne extend his lead to 4.1020 seconds by the chequered flag, securing all 85 championship points on offer, including the fastest lap. Waters came home second, reclaiming the series lead from reigning champion Will Brown, who charged from 13th to fifth in a gritty comeback.
Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Ryan Wood took the final podium spot, muscling past De Pasquale in a determined effort that showed the rookie’s growing confidence. Payne’s teammate, Kai Allen, also impressed with a sensational drive from 22nd to seventh.
Kostecki, Hill and Randle were ultimately reclassified in 12th, 14th and 22nd after penalties. Andre Heimgartner, James Golding and Will Davison completed the top 10, with Broc Feeney finishing 15th after a tough day in the pack.
As the championship standings shuffled, Waters now holds a 10-point lead over Brown, with Feeney trailing by 91. Payne’s triumph has propelled him further up the leaderboard, a well-earned boost following a challenging start to the season.
The atmosphere in Taupō was electric, with fans turning out in force for Supercars’ first-ever visit to the picturesque New Zealand circuit. And for Matt Payne, it couldn’t have been better.
Race 9 of the ITM Super 440, running on the Super Soft tyre compound, is set to commence at 4:05pm NZST (2:05pm AEST). Live coverage continues on Sky Sport in New Zealand and Foxtel in Australia, with streaming available via Kayo and highlights airing on the Seven Network and 7plus.
