Great Race weekend of promise fails to deliver.
Great Race weekend of promise fails to deliver
Penrite Racing were left to rue two costly mistakes on what was a fraught day for the team.
Car #19 of Matt Payne & Garth Tander were the only casualties of the fastest Bathurst 1000 on record, whilst Richie Stanaway & Dale Wood slipped from sixth to ninth after running out of fuel in the final sequence of corners.
Penrite Racing fell two positions in the Teams Championship to sixth, with Matt Payne falling out of the Top five. Richie Stanaway remains in 17th position.
The most prestigious event of the year began with a media call in pitlane, with the team revealing a stunning gold livery, courtesy of the team’s naming-rights sponsor in Penrite Oil. The livery was a continuation of the fan-favourite ‘brushed copper’ look which claimed two race wins at the back end of the 2023 season.
Despite no racing action on track, the Mountain was bustling with action, as Penrite Racing’s driver lineup were swamped on their track walk by adoring fans.
Wednesday’s proceedings ended with the annual Bathurst Street Party in the middle of the Bathurst CBD. Contrary to previous years, the entire 26-car grid made their way to the central hub, as part of the ever-growing, and ever-popular Track to Town initiative.
Thursday marked the first time that cars made their way onto the famed circuit, with Matt Payne striking an early blow by topping the first practice session. Thursday’s practice two was reserved for co-drivers only; and wildlife. The session was delayed due to a large brown snake on the circuit. With the Bathurst local removed, the session continued as Garth Tander & Dale Wood logged important laps for their race programs.
Friday at Bathurst is one of the most anticipated on the calendar, as it plays host to the best qualifying session of the year.
Both Matt Payne & Richie Stanaway were quick out of the blocks and exhibited strong one-lap pace. Both drivers sat comfortably in the Top 5 before the first stoppage of the session for an incident involving David Reynolds.
Once the session resumed, both drivers continued to remain in the top 10, before Matt Payne put in a blistering pole that landed him on Provisional Pole by just 0.006 seconds.
Payne’s time was threatened by Broc Feeney, however a second red flag due to an incident involving Will Davison meant that Payne’s time at the top was safe. Richie Stanaway was able to hold onto position ten, meaning that both Penrite Racing Mustang’s would feature in the Top Ten Shootout on Saturday afternoon.
Richie Stanaway was first on the road in Saturday’s Shootout, setting a lap that not many others could match during the session. Despite encountering oversteer at Turn One, Richie was able to set a first sector that was only bettered by three other drivers. Richie would line up fourth for Sunday’s Great Race.
Matt Payne was the final car to head out for their lap, with Brodie Kostecki’s time firmly in his sights. A brush with the wall on the exit of Forrest’s Elbow meant that Payne would slide down the order, ultimately setting the seventh fastest time.
Sunday morning’s warm up was the last chance for teams to rehearse for the Great Race. The session was tracking smoothly before Matt Payne locked up at The Chase, and lodged himself in the gravel trap.
The Great Race went green at 11:30AM, as Richie Stanaway vaulted from the second row to end the first lap in second position, almost claiming the lead from Kostecki at The Chase.
The race was devoid of interruptions for much of the five hour & 58-minute run time.
Garth Tander ran up the escape road in Car #19, losing time to the cars in front, providing an early setback for the Car #19 crew.
The only safety car intervention of the race came at the expense of Penrite Racing’s Matt Payne, after he found the wall at The Cutting.
Payne, in his third Bathurst 1000 start, missed a downshift on his approach to the incredibly difficult section, ultimately ending his day in the fence on Lap 132.
Penrite Racing’s pain was compounded as Richie Stanaway ran out of fuel in Car #26 at the final corner. The reigning Bathurst Champion was on-track to finish sixth, however, the fuel mishap dropped he and Dale Wood to position nine.
Penrite Racing will regroup and aim to recoup early-season success as they return to the scene of their first win Repco Supercars Championship win on the Gold Coast.
