Payne topped Q1 and Q2 at Taupo Motorsport Park in the Penrite Oil-backed #19 Ford Mustang, leading fellow Ford driver Brodie Kostecki in the Jet Couriers-backed #38 Dick Johnson Racing entry.

Payne clocked a blistering 1:25.7084s in the first leg before backing that up with a nearly identical 1:25.7006s in the second.

So confident was the Kiwi, that he leapt out of his car at the end of Q2 with more than two minutes to spare.

“It was pretty good actually, with the two sessions it was basically the same time for each,” he said.

“It’s great to be back on pole where we did it last year as well. It’s pretty special.”

There were some small changes between Q1 and Q2. Kostecki kept second place while Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters climbed from seventh to third.

Ryan Wood was fourth for Walkinshaw Andretti United ahead of Will Davison (Dick Johnson Racing), Chaz Mostert (Walkinshaw Andretti United), Anton De Pasquale (Team 18), Erebus Motorsport duo Cooper Murray and Jack Le Brocq, and Cameron Hill (Matt Stone Racing).

In a serious upset, Triple Eight’s Broc Feeney and Will Brown both failed to make the top 10. Feeney was 11th while Brown was 13th.

There were similar struggles for Brad Jones Racing. All four cars failed to make the top 10.

“I think the first sector, to be honest,” said Feeney.

“I think we’re losing like four tenths to the guys up the front. It’s hard work around here, that’s for sure. We’re just struggling a little bit to get it going in the first sector. Hopefully we can fix that.

“I think the rest of the lap is okay. We’re certainly not the fastest car, but it would be somewhat close. I just can’t get through the first few turns.”

Feeney said they couldn’t replicate the same race-winning pace from a year ago.

“It’s very hard to drive I suppose is the easy way to put it,” he added.

“The track has got so many surfaces and if you don’t quite get it right, it’s super challenging. You make the smallest mistake and it’s tenfold.

“I’m struggling a lot at Turn 2, keeping losing the rear a lot there. I think if we can fix that, we’ll be okay. To miss out by a hundredth, I’m surprised I’m not further down to be honest.

“Hopefully we can make a tune-up. We were very strong in the race here last year, but at the moment, we don’t seem to have many of those strengths.”

Qualifying for Race 9 was delayed and eventually got underway at 9:15am AEST.

Results: Repco Supercars Championship ITM Taupo Super440, Qualifying Race 8 (updated)