Matt Payne, has claimed provisional pole position for the Repco Bathurst 1000, following an intense and crash-filled 40-minute qualifying session. Payne, driving his Grove Racing Ford Mustang, clocked a fastest lap of 2:05.6452, barely edging out fellow Ford competitor, Cam Waters of Monster Energy Racing, by a razor-thin margin of 0.006 seconds.
The dramatic session ended abruptly when two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Will Davison lost control of his #17 Shell V-Power Racing Ford Mustang while navigating The Dipper. Davison’s Mustang spun, hitting the wall before rotating into a tyre barrier. Fortunately, Davison walked away unscathed, and Nick Percat of Matt Stone Racing, who stopped to check on him, also confirmed that Davison was okay.
Earlier, another high-profile incident involved 2017 Bathurst 1000 champion David Reynolds. Driving the Tradie Camaro for Team 18, Reynolds suffered a high-speed, head-on collision with the outside concrete wall while on a flying lap. Despite the heavy impact, Reynolds too walked away unhurt, highlighting the safety standards in today’s racing.
The tension was palpable throughout the session, as Red Bull Camaro driver Broc Feeney, who partners with Jamie Whincup for this race, was on a lap that could have challenged Payne’s time. However, the session was cut short due to Davison’s crash, leaving Feeney in third place.
Top Ten Shootout Awaits
The drama isn’t over yet, as the highly anticipated Top Ten Shootout is set for Saturday evening at 5:05 p.m. local time. This one-lap dash will determine the final starting positions for Sunday’s Great Race, which kicks off at 11:30 a.m. AEDT.
Matt Payne’s excitement was evident after the session: “To be P1 in provisional qualifying is pretty cool. I didn’t think we quite had it, but to be first is really good. The top four are all within the same tenth—it’s amazing how tight it is. Everyone’s pushing to the limit.”
What’s Next?
With heavy hitters like defending Supercars Champion Brodie Kostecki, championship leader Will Brown, and two-time Bathurst winner Chaz Mostert all set to push the limits in the Shootout, the competition is fierce. Payne’s teammate and defending Bathurst 1000 Champion, Richie Stanaway, is also one to watch as he looks to defend his title.
Fans can catch all the action on Foxtel, the Seven Network, or via live streaming on Kayo and 7plus. For those wanting to witness the spectacle in person, tickets and corporate packages are still available through Supercars.com and Ticketek.
