Kai Allen secures Adelaide Grand Final berth for Penrite Racing in an action packed weekend at Sandown
Penrite Racing will fly the flag proudly at the inaugural Adelaide Grand Final in two weeks’ time after a dramatic round of the Repco Supercars Championship at Sandown Raceway.
Rookie sensation Kai Allen has officially secured his place in the final four contenders for the 2025 Supercars title, capping off a strong and remarkably consistent weekend at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500. He will join Broc Feeney, Chaz Mostert and Will Brown in what is shaping up to be one of the most compelling finales in Supercars history on the streets of Adelaide.
While Sandown delivered a breakthrough moment for Allen, it was a tougher outing for Bathurst 1000 winner Matt Payne, who missed out on a Grand Final berth after being caught in an incident with Cameron Waters late in Sunday’s race. Despite significant steering damage, Payne still fought bravely to stay in the contest, but the car became too difficult to manage – an unfortunate end after an outstanding season.
Across the entire weekend, Penrite Racing proved one of the most adaptable teams in the field as the category switched between Dunlop’s super soft tyre on Saturday and the soft tyre on Sunday. Both Mustangs qualified inside the top 10 for each race, and until Payne’s damage on Sunday, were on track for strong finishes.
In Saturday’s opening race, Payne and Allen ran nose-to-tail for much of the 250km battle, finishing sixth and seventh. Their combined points haul pushed them to fourth and fifth in the standings heading into Sunday.
Midway through the second race, Payne held a slender points advantage over Allen, but once Payne’s race unravelled, Allen stepped up under pressure -finishing sixth and securing his place in the Adelaide Grand Final. It marks a well-earned reward for the rookie, who has put together a stellar first season highlighted by five podiums.
Supercars now heads to the iconic Adelaide street circuit from 27–30 November, where the Grand Final will play out across three races: Friday’s 100km sprint followed by two 200km contests across the weekend.
Thanks to all who came out in support – was great to see you all there!
- Race schedule
Race
results
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Race 30
Repco Supercars ChampionshipP6 Matt Payne1:37:26.925P7 Kai Allen1:37:27.357 -
Race 31
Repco Supercars ChampionshipP22 Matt Payne1:39:53.014P6 Kai Allen1:40:05.740
- Circuit stats
The circuit
The Penrite Oil Sandown 500 is a cornerstone event in the Supercars Championship, renowned for its rich history and challenging layout. The team, with Matt and Kai behind the wheel, is preparing to tackle the demanding 3.1 km circuit, aiming for a strong performance in this pivotal endurance race. Fans can anticipate an action-packed weekend filled with high-speed thrills and strategic racing.
Driver
commentary
Matt Payne
Driver profile“It’s obviously disappointing not to make the Adelaide Grand Final after the season we’ve put together, but I’m genuinely stoked for Kai and proud that Penrite Racing will still be in the fight for the championship.
We needed a solid result today and sometimes motorsport can be cruel. We did everything right, but the incident with Waters took the decision out of our hands.
Still, I’m very proud of my year and confident we’ll come back stronger in 2026. For now, my full focus is on supporting Kai in Adelaide – one team, one dream.”