Bathurst 1000: Payne and Tander triumph in all-time classic

Matt Payne has emulated Kiwi compatriots Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen by adding his name to the Mt Panorama honour roll with a victory for the ages on Sunday in a crazy, chaotic Bathurst 1000.

Payne, a 23-year-old from Auckland, is second on the Supercars standings but had a shocker in qualifying, starting in 18th position on the grid.

But the Grove Racing Mustang driver made amends in one of the most dramatic, spectacular races in Bathurst’s illustrious history, keeping his cool as a host of his big-name rivals imploded, partnering veteran Garth Tander to clinch the trophy after a race that will live long in the memory.

It was Tander’s sixth triumph at Bathurst, and the sixth Supercars race win of Payne’s burgeoning career.

PremiAir Camaro driver James Golding crossed the finish line ahead of Payne, but a five-second penalty meant he was relegated to third.

It was Ford’s first win at Bathurst since 2019.

David Reynolds and Lee Holdsworth finished second in their Tradie Energy Camaro, with Golding claiming the last position on the podium.

On a day of carnage, series leader Broc Feeney, defending champion Brodie Kostecki and two-time Bathurst winner Chaz Mostert suffered setbacks to finish with the also-rans.

Golding held the lead for several laps, as did Kiwi Ryan Wood, who was eyeing victory before his Walkinshaw-Andretti Ford broke down with 22 laps remaining.

Payne briefly slid off the track with nine laps left but regained control and capitalised on his lucky reprieve.

Commentators compared the race to the infamous 1992 edition, which was abandoned 18 laps early when race officials determined that torrential rain had made it too dangerous to continue.

After a bright, sunny start to Sunday, rain started falling about halfway through the race and immediately transformed the 6.213-kilometre track into an ice rink.

The wet caused logistical issues for pit crews, in particular if and when to change from slicks to wet-weather tyres, and left drivers with little margin for error.

It soon started getting ugly.

Feeney parked the front of his Red Bull-Ampol Camaro under a sponsor’s sign at Forrest’s Elbow and needed a tow to untangle it.

“Unfortunately he was pushing too hard on cold tyres,” team principal Jamie Whincup said of Feeney. “It’s easy to do.”

Defending series champion Will Brown ploughed his Red Bull Camaro into a concrete barrier and somehow continued back to the pits with his dislodged bonnet hanging over the windscreen.

Will Davidson parked his Shell V-Power Ford on the fence at Forrest’s Elbow.

Cam McLeod, in the Supaglass Chevrolet, spun around and ended up facing the wall. He was lucky not to cause a multi-car pile-up.

Then defending champion Kostecki slipped off the road, allowing Cam Waters to pass him and grab the lead.

Kostecki’s hopes of retaining his Bathurst 1000 crown were cruelled by a double setback more than halfway into the great race.

His Dick Johnson Racing Mustang had an issue with the alternator, and was slowly losing voltage. Adding to his woes, he rear-ended Penrite’s Kai Allen on lap 99, damaged both cars, and copped a time penalty.

Adding to DJR’s woes, their other car, driven by Tony D’Alberto, collected the wall at Forrest’s Elbow and was soon on a truck, heading to the panel beaters.

Meanwhile, Tickford Racing performed rudimentary running repairs to Mark Winterbottom’s car, using a reciprocating saw to remove a dented front panel that was scraping on the front right wheel. The extended pit stop caused the popular veteran to slip down the field, but at least he was still in the game.

Two-time Bathurst champion Chaz Mostert and Fabian Coulthard retired on lap 57 after battling engine failure.

As he trudged back towards pit lane, a fan came and offered him a beer, which Mostert cracked without hesitation to start drowning his sorrows.

The De Walt Camaro of Anton De Pasquale also wobbled back to the finish line early after crashing into a concrete barrier.

Supercheap Autos Camaro driver Zach Bates found himself in the “kitty litter” twice in the space of two laps but was able to continue each time.

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Here is the final top ten.

Well, that was an incredible race.

Matt Payne, a 23-year-old from New Zealand has won a maiden Bathurst title in his fourth attempt and his teammate in the Ford Mustang, for Penrite Racing, was Garth Tander.

It’s Tander’s sixth Bathurst title, putting him equal third on the all-time list alongside Mark Skaife and Larry Perkins.

The winners started in 18th and only led the race for three laps - but crucially they were the final three.

The race took almost seven hours and was full of carnage.

The clouds are swallowing up Mount Panorama but after all that chaos, it’s looking clearer that the race is Matt Payne’s to lose.

His team is telling him to just get the car home “with nothing heroic”.

Murray is out of contention after Golding nudged him on the uphill stretch up Mount Panorama.

Payne is now leading by 1.5 seconds, and David Reynolds - the fastest car on the track - has come into third. Payne has not led all day until this point.

Officials will have a look at that. Golding may be in strife.</p,>

Update! Golding has been given a five-second penalty. That puts Reynolds into an effective second.

Murray and Payne just went head-to-head and wheel-to-wheel at almost 300km/h down Conrod Strait in incredible scenes.

But Payne pushed it too far and went off the track at the Chase, and he dropped back to third. Golding has slipped up to second.

Pulse rates are very high.

We have 11 laps to go and the race is coming down to Australian Cooper Murray, who is leading in the Erebus Motorsport Camaro, and the Kiwi youngster Matt Payne, who is pushing him hard in second with the Grove Racing Ford Mustang.

Murray has never won a Supercars race, and his co-driver Jobe Stewart is in his first-ever Bathurst 1000.

Payne, who is partnered with veteran Garth Tander, started the day in 18th spot on the starting grid.

James Golding is just behind them in third spot. It’s between those three.