“It’s really special to get a win in New Zealand,” said Payne. “We had a really good day, obviously first in the first race, I couldn’t ask for much more.
“[I’m] just really annoyed I got that five-second penalty at the start of [the second] race, we kind of knew it was going to come. We had such good speed as well.
“It’s kind of bittersweet, to be honest, we could have been on the podium again. You’ve got to take advantage of the days when you have a fast car. But the positive thing is we have a really fast car, so hopefully we can go and win [on Sunday].”
Race two winner Mostert was pleased with his win. He and the team had struggled to get his car to work around the Taupō track described by some as a jigsaw puzzle on a patchwork quilt.
“It was a super tough tussle out there but we had good car pace,” said Mostert. “I ran out of tyres a little bit in the first stint but managed things better after the pit stop.
“I’m so pumped for the team, and after being turned in the first race, it was good to get it done [win].”
Payne won the first of the 37-lap sprint races in a lights-to-wire masterclass, dominating the race. Fellow Kiwi Wood finished third, with Cam Waters sandwiched between the two. The win was the third of Payne’s career, after Adelaide in 2023 and Townsville in 2024, and he was delighted to claim it on home soil.
“It’s pretty special here,” said Payne, who grew up on the same street as Liam Lawson. “We had a pretty good qualifying and I knew we had really good pace for the race.
“I needed to get a good start, which I did, and had a good first stint. I had a bit of scare at the pitstops, being out there on my own, but it all worked out in the end. Seeing the crowd on the in-lap was pretty special. It’s super special to share the podium with Ryan [Wood] and really cool for the two of us.”
Wood was equally pleased with the first podium of his burgeoning Supercars career and he wasn’t daunted by the more experienced drivers around him. Wood, who recorded the fastest practice time on Friday, finished less than a second behind Payne after starting fourth on the grid and passed Anton De Pasquale with two laps to go.
“I felt like I drove a really great race,” said Wood. “I was aggressive when I needed to be and the car was so fast. It was amazing to get a podium and it’s a bit of a monkey off my back.
“I felt the home crowd was with me, and when I got to Anton, I thought if we can get two Kiwis on the podium, that would brilliant, so I went for it.
“I’m so stoked and it’s a pretty special moment, especially at home. Matty [Payne] and I are good mates and to see him out front was special. “I was trying really hard and it felt a bit like our karting days racing together but there was a Monster car [Waters] between us. I just hope the two of us can do more of this podium stuff as the year goes on.”
Sunday sees the feature 61-lap race, which will be more familiar to the drivers and teams.
