Payne retains Championship lead, advances in Finals

Matt Payne has enjoyed a strong weekend on the streets of the Gold Coast, advancing to the penultimate Finals round at Sandown with the Championship lead intact.

A third-place finish in Saturday’s first race for the Penrite Racing #19 Ford Mustang pilot was just reward for a strong performance in difficult conditions in the first of two 250km outings for the weekend.

Payne enjoyed a solid Sunday, finishing sixth after a 12th place start following a challenging qualifying session earlier in the morning.

On the other side of the Penrite Racing garage, Kai Allen’s Finals campaign came to an unfortunate end at the iconic Gold Coast event, his weekend effectively ruined after a control part failure in Saturday’s opening race left him at the rear of the pack and effectively needing a race win to guarantee his progression into the next Finals event.

Sunday didn’t start well for Allen either, with the 21-year-old unable to find the pace in his #26 Penrite Ford Mustang after qualifying 22nd.

Despite the disappointing grid position, Allen showed brilliant pace as he raced his way through the field in the 85-lap affair, making up nine places to finish 13th.

The weather played havoc across the weekend, with plenty of wet and dry running across all three days.

In front of a dedicated and large crowd, the Penrite Mustangs also looked ‘pretty in pink’, showcasing pink trim across the cars and driver apparel to support Snap-on’s Socket To Breast Cancer campaign.

Those items, as well as a hot lap in a Penrite Mustang in 2027, are up for auction until the end of the month, with all proceeds going to the McGrath Foundation as part of the campaign.