Feeney wins after Payne-Waters clash

Feeney inherited first position when Payne and Waters both ended up in the wall on Lap 2 at Turn 14 and was not headed thereafter.

Will Brown (#87 Camaro) staved off Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Chaz Mostert on the final lap to make for a third Red Bull Ampol Racing one-two of the season, although the third-placed #25 Mobil 1 Optus Mustang earned the five fastest lap bonus points.

Payne’s #19 Penrite Mustang and Waters’ #6 Monster Energy Mustang were the only two DNFs of what became a time-certain, 10-lap encounter.

Brown continues to lead the drivers’ championship, by a reduced, 12-point margin over Feeney.

Grove Racing’s Payne had taken a career-first pole position but Tickford Racing’s Waters beat him to the first corner from the other side of the front row.

The Triple Eight Race Engineering duo made strong starts as Feeney took up third and Brown fourth, with Jack Le Brocq (#9 TFH Hire Camaro) fifth and Mostert dropping to sixth.

Le Brocq got inside of Brown at Turn 3 and made the pass through the Lakeside Stadium car park but then slid wide exiting the complex and handed the position back.

Payne passed Waters for the lead at Ascari on Lap 2, but then the Tickford driver gave the #19 Grove entry a nudge at Turn 13.

Payne ran deep due to the contact but, when he moved back to drivers’ left to open up the Turn 14 and there was a bigger hit between him and Waters.

It caused Car #6 to ride up on the wall and Car #19 to go spinning into it, as Feeney (#88 Camaro) and Brown inherited a one-two.

Waters showed his displeasure when he opened and then slammed Payne’s passenger door, as the Grove car sat stricken against circuit direction and the barriers.

Race Control, though, advised of no further action as the field trundled around under Safety Car, with Feeney leading Brown, Mostert, David Reynolds (#20 Tradie Beer Camaro), Le Brocq, Tim Slade (#23 Nulon Camaro), Todd Hazelwood (#99 TFH Camaro), Richie Stanaway (#26 Penrite Mustang), Ryan Wood (#2 Mobil 1 Truck Assist Mustang), and Nick Percat (#10 Bendix Camaro).

The restart came on Lap 7 and a moment for Mostert through Turn 8 allowed the Triple Eight duo to break several tenths clear.

By the end of the next lap, however, the WAU pilot had gapped Reynolds and caught back up to Brown.

He showed the nose at Car #87 on Lap 10 at Turn 3 but Brown opened up the steering then ensured there was no way around the outside for Mostert at Turn 4.

Feeney skipped away to a victory of 1.7911s, from Brown, Mostert, Reynolds, Le Brocq, Hazelwood, Stanaway, Slade, Percat, and Wood.

The final race of the weekend starts tomorrow at 10:25 local time/AEDT.

Results: Race 5, MSS Security Melbourne SuperSprint

Fastest lap (bonus): Chaz Mostert, 1:48.3891s, Lap 8

Drivers’ championship

Teams’ championship