Payne beats Feeney on the line in Tasmania
- Dave Worsley
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
New Zealandi rising star Matt Payne has pulled off one of the most dramatic wins in recent Supercars history.
The 22-year-old beat championship leader Broc Feeney by just 0.05s in a heart-stopping photo finish at the Tasmania Super 440.
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The result was the third closest winning margain in the history of Supercars.
The Penrite Racing driver came from 11th on the grid and used smart strategy and a perfectly timed second pit stop during a mid-race Safety Car to take the lead late in the race.
Feeney, who won on Saturday, was charging through the field and looked unstoppable as he closed the gap in the final laps. He pushed hard and drew alongside Payne on the run to the chequered flag – but the Kiwi held on in one of the closest finishes the category has seen.
The win is Payne’s third in as many Sunday races and just his fifth career victory, after claiming both wins in New Zealand at the last round.
Despite just missing out on the win, Feeney extended his lead in the championship lead over teammate Will brown to 38 points with another strong result. Brown finished third to round out today's podium.
Payne remains third ahead of Tickford's Cam Waters who dropped from second to fourth in the standings this weekend.
Early race leader James Golding crossed the line fourth ahead of PremiAir Racing teammate Richie Stanaway.
The dramatic 88-lap race featured wheel-to-wheel battles, clever strategy calls and a flurry of incidents throughout the field – but the final lap showdown between Payne and Feeney stole the show.
The major turning point in the race came when defending Bathurst 1000 Champion Brodie Kostecki spun around on the run to the hairpin.
Replays showed Kostecki being tipped into a spin by BJR's Bryce Fullwood as they rounded Turn 3, with the latter earning a drive-through penalty. Fullwood's day got worse, being handed another penalty over a Safety Car breach.
The 2025 Repco Supercars Championship continues at the Bosch Power Tools Perth Super 440 from June 6–8. Tickets are on sale now.
