SOLID RESULTS IN TASSIE!

Penrite Racing has completed a strong weekend at the Tasmania Super440, securing a double podium finish and strengthening its hold on second place in the Teams’ Championship standings.

A challenging, damp qualifying session set the tone for the opening race of the weekend. Matt Payne capitalised on the chaos of the opening lap to begin carving his way through the field, emerging from the early battles in 14th position, while Kai Allen settled into 22nd.

Payne’s charge continued throughout the race, with the Penrite Racing crew executing a smart overcut strategy that saw him briefly lead before pitting on lap 33. Armed with impressive opening stint pace and fresh tyres for the run home, Payne stormed through the field to finish eighth, gaining an impressive 11 positions.

Allen also showed strong pace throughout the race, though his progress was hampered by a 15-second penalty. Despite the setback, he fought hard to recover and crossed the line in 19th.

Race two proved far more straightforward for Payne, who converted a front-row start into another podium finish, bringing home third place and valuable championship points in the process. Allen again showcased his race craft and tyre management, recovering strongly after qualifying 17th. An aggressive undercut strategy with an early lap 14 pit stop vaulted the young gun up the order, eventually securing an impressive sixth-place finish.

The final and longest race of the weekend once again highlighted the exceptional race pace of the Penrite Racing duo, with the team claiming a double podium result.

Payne controlled second position throughout the 84-lap encounter, only relinquishing the spot during the compulsory pit cycles, before securing another standout podium finish.

Allen wasted little time moving forward from seventh on the grid, climbing to third following the opening pit sequence. From there, he expertly managed his pace and tyres to bring home a brilliant podium result.

The results see Payne climb to second in the Drivers’ Championship standings, while Allen remains firmly inside the top five in fifth position. Penrite Racing also continues to cement itself as a genuine Teams’ Championship contender, currently sitting second in the standings and just 68 points from the lead.

The 2026 Supercars Championship resumes at the Darwin Triple Crown from 19-21 June.

Matt Payne – Driver #19 Ford Mustang

“It was a really solid weekend for the whole Penrite Racing team. To come away with two podiums, including a third and a second, shows we had strong pace across all three races, but we just didn’t quite have enough to grab that top step this time around.

There are still plenty of positives to take away though. The car was fast, the team executed well all weekend, and we’ve continued to bank valuable championship points. We’ll keep working hard, keep building momentum and hopefully take that final step in Darwin.”

Kai Allen – Driver #26 Ford Mustang

“Really proud of the effort from everyone at Penrite Racing this weekend. After the qualifying crash on Saturday, the team did an incredible job turning the car around in a short timeframe.

To bounce back with a solid quali on Sunday and a podium finish was a great reward for all the hard work behind the scenes. The pace of the car was really strong, and it gives us plenty of confidence heading into Darwin. It’s a track that’s produced some great racing and strong results for me in the past, so I’m excited to get there and see what we’re capable of in Round 6.”

Brenton Grove, CEO, Grove

“A second and third place finish – such a good way to finish the round here in Tassie. This has been a tough track for us in the past, but we had some great strategy, flawless job by the drivers in Qualifying here on Sunday and two fast cars, was a great way to cap off Tasmania, on to Darwin.”