Polesitter Feeney controlled the 83-lap race from the outset but faced a surprise late challenge from Payne, who was brought into the contest by taking his second stop under a Safety Car.

James Courtney, who started 13th, also played the same trick to vault into the reckoning for the podium; his eventual third place the first ever rostrum result for the Blanchard Racing Team.

Feeney’s win turned the tables on Payne after narrowly losing out to the Kiwi in the Sunday race at Symmons Plains last month.

“I executed the start and sort of managed the race in those first two stints,” said Feeney, who extended his championship lead.

“It was probably going to be pretty smooth sailing home, but with the pitstops and the Safety Car, and Matt was super quick at the end there….

“I was a bit worried in the sprint shootout at the end. He got one up on me last one, so it’s good to get one up on him this time.”

Cameron Waters and Will Brown rounded out the top five after a wild final few laps in which James Golding and Ryan Wood collided while disputing fifth place.

Feeney had earlier capitalised on pole position with a rapid start to lead Waters, Payne, Brown, David Reynolds, James Golding, Wood and Anton De Pasquale.

Race 16 is GREEN, with Broc Feeney getting a GREAT jump on Cam Waters!#RepcoSC #Supercars pic.twitter.com/Wf5BQowvsB

— Supercars (@supercars) June 8, 2025

While the top three ran line astern in the first stint, there was plenty of shuffling behind with Wood the big mover, making it to fourth by the time the first round of stops kicked off.

Payne was the first of the leading pack to pull the trigger on lap 19. Brown pitted four laps later and rejoined ahead of the Grove Mustang, which had been delayed by a refuelling issue.

It was another two laps before Wood dived to the lane, followed soon after by Waters on lap 26 and finally leader Feeney on lap 28.

The result of that was Feeney rejoining narrowly ahead of Waters, who in turn had been called in to ensure he could retain track position over Wood.

Golding made his stop on lap 30 and rejoined just ahead of Brown. Contact into Turn 7 on Golding’s out lap pushed the PremiAir car wide and allowing Brown through.

THAT IS WILD!

Golding and Brown tangle with Jimmy losing spots in the process.#RepcoSC #Supercars pic.twitter.com/LUUOGn0NyA

— Supercars (@supercars) June 8, 2025

On lap 40, Wood finally made a move on Waters, taking second place with superior traction at the exit of Kolb Corner and facing a deficit of less than two seconds to Feeney ahead.

Feeney – on marginally younger tyres than his closest pursuers – remained in control during the middle phase of the race, slowly building his lead.

The gap stood at over four seconds when Wood took his second pit stop 26 laps from home, at which point Golding was already charging on his final set of tyres.

Waters and Brown took their second stops together with 21 laps remaining – the Monster Mustang just over five seconds behind leader Feeney before diving to pit lane.

Feeney was in a lap later and rejoined just over a second clear of Wood, with Waters, Golding, Brown and De Pasquale the next in pursuit.

A curveball was thrown 19 laps from the finish when Cooper Murray’s Camaro stopped at the entry to Kolb Corner, triggering the Safety Car.

Yet ANOTHER strategy masterclass from @penriteracing 👏

Matty Payne rejoins in P2 at the safety car restart. #RepcoSC #Supercars pic.twitter.com/OOGLtHbOUY

— Supercars (@supercars) June 8, 2025

Payne and Courtney were able to take their second stops under the yellow flag and – thanks to the benefit of pitting while the field was slowed – dropped into the field second and fourth respectively.

Feeney therefore took the restart with 14 laps to run, leading Payne, Wood, Courtney, Waters, Golding and Brown.

Courtney pounced on the restart lap, using his younger tyres to overtake Wood. Waters and Golding also pounced on the WAU Mustang, which was demoted to sixth.

Wood’s attempt to regain the place from Golding nine laps from home ended in disaster for both: side-to-side contact at Turn 3 carting both cars off the road.

Wood was out on the spot, while Golding speared off again at Turn 6 with steering damage and limped back to pitlane. He was soon also handed a drive-through penalty for his trouble.

MASSIVE DRAMA IN THE RACE FOR THE SPRINT CUP!

GOLDING AND WOOD FIND EACH OTHER AND RUN EACH OTHER OFF THE ROAD.#RepcoSC #Supercars pic.twitter.com/ViTw8chJbc

— Supercars (@supercars) June 8, 2025

Feeney and Payne were meanwhile duking it out at the front; the Grove driver stalking the race leader as they gapped Courtney and co behind.

The Triple Eight driver held on to win by 0.5671s over Payne with Courtney third from Waters, Brown, Chaz Mostert, Reynolds, Kai Allen, Thomas Randle and Andre Heimgartner.

Allen and Heimgartner both came from deep in the field, the former leading for a period mid-race while running an extended first stint.

Brodie Kostecki finished 11th after qualifying a lacklustre 15th and enduring a five-second time penalty at his second pit stop due to repeated breaches of track limits at Turn 7.

Jaxon Evans converted last on the grid into 12th place, despite being knocked off track by Aaron Cameron in the mid-stages.

Like Payne and Courtney, Evans had also benefited from making his second stop under the Safety Car.

The day’s biggest hard-luck story belonged to Cam Hill, whose car failed to fire ahead of the warm-up lap due to a battery issue.

Officials towed the car to pit exit to avoid a delay to the race start and Hill was finally able to join the race, almost 10 laps down.

Results: Repco Supercars Championship Bosch Power Tools Perth Super440 Race 3