Payne tops crash-hit Bathurst 1000 qualifying

Payne clocked a 2:05.6452 for Grove Racing, edging out Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters for provisional pole position.

Broc Feeney looked like he might pip Payne at the death only for the red flag to be drawn just metres from the start-finish line. The Triple Eight Race Engineering driver wound up third.

“The previous practice we didn’t have such a good run on the green tyres,” said Payne.

“We made a couple of mistakes and ended up 14th. I was kicking myself a little bit after that one.

“I knew that my car was a little bit better than that, but to be P1 in provisional qualifying is pretty cool.

“I didn’t think we quite had it there. I knew we were going to be in the top five, but to be first is really good.”

After Payne, Waters, and Feeney came Brodie Kostecki (Erebus Motorsport), Will Brown (Triple Eight), Chaz Mostert (Walkinshaw Andretti United), Andre Heimgartner (Brad Jones Racing), Jack Le Brocq (Erebus Motorsport), Anton De Pasquale (Dick Johnson Racing), and Richie Stanaway (Grove Racing).

The session ended when Davison got loose on approach to The Dipper, just moments after Payne shortcut Brock’s Skyline.

The #17 Ford Mustang rotated and slapped the wall before rotating into the tyre barrier.

Matt Stone Racing driver Nick Percat stopped his #10 Chevrolet Camaro to check on Davison, who walked away from the crash without any serious injuries.

Shattering end to @BoostAus Qualifying at Mount Panorama 😳#RepcoSC #Supercars #Bathurst1000 pic.twitter.com/oCXqAIS05E

— Supercars (@supercars) October 11, 2024

At the start of the session, Brodie Kostecki set the pace on a 2:06.1542s to put himself half a second faster than David Reynolds for Team 18.

Feeney came within earshot of Kostecki, slotting into second before pitting with a vibration.

The second run saw the order shuffle as Waters pipped Kostecki by 0.1338s and dethroned the Erebus Motorsport driver.

Waters’ time, a blistering 2:06.0204s, came just moments before Reynolds lost control of his car and nose-dived the concrete wall at The Dipper.

Reynolds, who was fourth, lost his fastest time and plummeted down the order.

The session was duly red-flagged and a lengthy clean-up began. At the intermission, Waters led Kostecki, Brown, De Pasquale, Payne, Le Brocq, Stanaway, James Golding, Feeney, and Jaxon Evans.

HUGE SHUNT FOR REYNOLDS 🤯

Follow all the action of the @RepcoAustralia Bathurst 1000 on our Live Feed here 👉 https://t.co/qyu6AAgclo#RepcoSC #Supercars #Bathurst1000 pic.twitter.com/fNKf4YXxeI

— Supercars (@supercars) October 11, 2024

Feeney was the first to improve from ninth to third after the break.

Despite the mess at the top of The Mountain, the times continued to improve and Mostert shot to third before Golding pipped him.

Feeney reset the benchmark with 16 minutes remaining, clocking a 2:05.7745s to go 0.2459s clear of Waters.

Kostecki’s first run after the red flag started the worst way possible, hitting the wall at Sulman Park. That buckled the right side wheels, forcing him into the pit lane for repairs.

KOSTECKI CLIPS THE FENCE!!

Follow all the action of the @RepcoAustralia Bathurst 1000 on our Live Feed here 👉 https://t.co/qyu6AAgclo#RepcoSC #Supercars #Bathurst1000 pic.twitter.com/7vbEl2CGrM

— Supercars (@supercars) October 11, 2024

With 13 minutes remaining, Stanaway rose to fourth with a 2:06.1052s to put himself 0.3307s away from the provisional pole time.

Payne also made headway with 10 minutes to go, rising from 10th to fifth.

There was something of an intermission with just over five minutes to go. Almost every car sat in pit lane before the final blast.

At the break, Feeney led Waters, Le Brocq, Stanaway, Payne, Kostecki, Golding, Mostert, Wood, and Davison.

Heimgartner was the first driver on the outside of the top 10 looking in while Brown was just behind him.

Feeney improved on his first lap, a 2:05.6565s, but was beaten immediately by Waters who clocked a 2:05.6512s. His time lasted just a few seconds before Payne shot to the top on a 2:05.6452s.

Of the front-runners, Feeney looked like he would improve as he set the first sector and was up on the cumulative to the second sector. However, as he came to the start-finish line, the red flag flew as Davison whacked the wall.

Results: Repco Supercars Championship Repco Bathurst 1000, Qualifying