Current Repco Supercars Championship leader Broc Feeney has turned the tables on Kiwi Matt Payne to take out the 100th ATCC/Supercars race in Perth, with the championship leader winning after a late Safety Car.
Feeney controlled Race 16 of the Bosch Power Tools Perth Super440 through the stops before a Safety Car energised the race and brought Payne, who was undone at the first stops, back into contention.
Where Payne was the one being hunted in Tasmania, Feeney was the one under pressure. However, the Triple Eight star had enough in response to deny Payne a third consecutive Sunday 200km race victory by just 0.567s.
James Courtney was another beneficiary of the Safety Car period to clinch a shock first Supercars podium for Blanchard Racing Team, with Cam Waters and Will Brown fourth and fifth after a collision between James Golding and Ryan Wood.
Heading to Darwin, Feeney leads Brown by 72 points, with Payne and Waters 123 and 153 points down.
“It was awesome, just executed the start and just managed the race in those first two stints,” Feeney said.
“It was probably going to be pretty smooth sailing home, and with the pit stops and the Safety Car, and Matt was super quick there at the end. Our car is really good at looking after it’s tyres, I was bit worried in the sprint shootout at the end.
“He got one up on me last one, so it’s good one back on him this time.”
There was drama for Cameron Hill before the race began, with an alternator issue relegating the Matt Stone Racing driver from eighth on the grid to pit lane as the race began.
A strong launch helped Feeney into a clear lead through Turn 1 as Waters held off Payne, who picked off Brown. In an action-packed start, Brown was shuffled down to sixth behind Golding and Wood, David Reynolds dropped to ninth, and Chaz Mostert charged forward.
Feeney’s lead began to slowly eke out as teammate Brown was muscled down to sixth following a big move by Golding at Turn 7, which saw Wood take to the grass down the pit straight.
Wood then passed Golding for fourth as Feeney’s lead breached one second, with Waters falling into the clutches of Payne.
As Golding put pressure on Waters, who battled on cold tyres, the race turned on its head as Murray brought his Vibe-liveried Erebus Motorsport Chevrolet to a stop on the run to Turn 6. Payne and Courtney stopped as the field was brought under control by the Safety Car, and rejoined second and fourth, either side of Wood.
The race restarted with 14 laps to go, and Feeney immediately responded to Payne’s pressure by setting the fastest lap of the race.
Behind them, Courtney muscled past Wood, who dropped from third to sixth behind Waters and Golding.
As Waters struggled, Golding and Wood collided through Turn 4, with both drivers tumbling down the field.
Wood was out on the spot and stopped out of harm’s way, with Golding hit with a drive-through penalty.
Payne stayed with Feeney, who crossed the line just up the road to take his fourth win in his last six starts. Mostert, Reynolds, Kai Allen, Thomas Randle and Andre Heimgartner rounded out the top 10, Allen and Heimgartner charging from 22nd and 24th.
Brodie Kostecki was hit with a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits and finished 11th. Wood and Murray were non-finishers, with Tickford wildcard Lochie Dalton 21st, Golding 22nd, and Hill eight laps down in 23rd.
The 2025 season will resume at the betr Darwin Triple Crown on June 20-22. Tickets are on sale now.
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