Matt Payne Wins First Supercars Race of Season in Christchurch
Matt Payne secured his first victory of the 2026 Supercars season at Ruapuna Speedway in Christchurch, overcoming a dramatic earlier setback where he lost a wheel and finished 19th. In the second race of the day, the Kiwi driver dominated to finish nearly 12 seconds ahead of Broc Feeney, delighting the sell-out home crowd. Meanwhile, championship leader Brodie Kostecki maintained his top position in the standings after winning the first race, holding off rising star Kai Allen. James Golding completed the podium in third place, overtaking local favorite Ryan Wood in the final laps. The event marked a significant turnaround for Payne, who had suffered bad luck in previous sessions, including a confusing safety flag incident on Friday. Feeney acknowledged the challenging weekend but accepted his second-place finish as a positive result. The races were part of a wild day of competition that saw intense battles and unexpected outcomes, with Kostecki continuing to lead the overall championship despite Payne's emotional win in the evening race.
Wire timeline
Matt Payne Wins First Supercars Race of Season in Christchurch
Matt Payne secured his first victory of the 2026 Supercars season at Ruapuna Speedway in Christchurch, overcoming a dramatic earlier setback where he lost a wheel and finished 19th. In the second race of the day, the Kiwi driver dominated to finish nearly 12 seconds ahead of Broc Feeney, delighting the sell-out home crowd. Meanwhile, championship leader Brodie Kostecki maintained his top position in the standings after winning the first race, holding off rising star Kai Allen. James Golding completed the podium in third place, overtaking local favorite Ryan Wood in the final laps. The event marked a significant turnaround for Payne, who had suffered bad luck in previous sessions, including a confusing safety flag incident on Friday. Feeney acknowledged the challenging weekend but accepted his second-place finish as a positive result. The races were part of a wild day of competition that saw intense battles and unexpected outcomes, with Kostecki continuing to lead the overall championship despite Payne's emotional win in the evening race.
theaustralian