Payne speared off the circuit at the Turn 11 hairpin during the Friday afternoon passenger laps.
That breached a rule stating the driver “must maintain control of the car and must only use the race track during a ride”.
“The driver was conducting a ride and as the car entered Turn 11 a brake locked, and to maintain control and avoid collision the car was driven off the track,” stewards detailed.
“The breach of not only using the race track during a ride is proven and a fine of $3000.00 is reasonable and consistent with penalties imposed for similar breaches.”
Payne was under immense scrutiny heading into the weekend due to his status as the reigning Jason Richards Trophy winner and uncertainty around his future at Grove Racing.
He ended the weekend sixth in the now two-event JR Trophy battle following a pair of fifth place finishes – the first of those results coming despite a five-second penalty for an unsafe pit release.
Payne fared better than teammate Kai Allen, who was classified 23rd in the opener after copping damage on the opening lap.
Allen banked eighth in the second race to be 10th in points for the weekend.
Grove Racing’s Brenton Grove said the team needs to “come out swinging” at Ruapuna after dropping a place in the teams’ championship.
“It was a pretty wild two days. The weekend got shorter than it already was and it was very compressed,” he said.
“We did a good job. I think we’ve got some work to do. We understand the areas we need to get better.
“That race was quite tough but the boys moved forward and at the end of the day that’s all we could ask for.
“We still got a good points haul but we need to come out swinging in Christchurch and move back up the pit lane order.”
Taupo marked the Grove team’s first weekend without technical director Grant McPherson, who is currently serving a six-month notice period before moving to General Motors.
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