Source: Radio New Zealand
Kiwi Matt Payne crosses the line, winning race 3 at Ruapuna in the inaugural Christchurch Supercars, on Saturday. Mark Horsburgh/EDGE Photographics
Kiwi driver Matt Payne has triumphed over 61 laps at the Christchurch Supercars 440 at the Ruapuna Raceway.
From pole position, Payne was in command throughout, leading home Kai Allen in the first one-two result for Penrite Racing, with Broc Feeney third.
“It’s really nice to have a quick car, just being able to execute,” said Payne, after crossing the line for the final race of the weekend.
“I knew once we had the start, we were going to have a pretty good opportunity to hold onto it.”
The safety car came out when Brodie Kostecki and Chaz Mostert were involved in a late tangle of two heavyweights on lap 55.
Kostecki was sent into a scary slide across the path of the field at the exit of Turn 3.
However amid a huge dust cloud, Kostecki was somehow not taken out, but he slipped to finish 18th.
That paved the way for Feeney to take out the overall championship lead, and the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy for the driver who scores the most points across the Taupō and Christchurch events.
A late-race engine failure on lap 40 was heartbreaking for Kiwi Ryan Wood who had been cruising to the JR Trophy.
The inaugural Christchurch event has attracted around 60,000 motorsport fans.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
