Matt Payne Takes Sandown 500 Pole in 1:08.110
Matt Payne will start the Sandown 500 from pole after setting the fastest time in the Top 10 Shootout, securing the leading grid spot ahead
Matt Payne will start the Sandown 500 from pole after setting the fastest time in the Top 10 Shootout, securing the leading grid spot ahead of fellow title contender Anton De Pasquale. Payne’s 1:08.110 in his No. 19 Ford Mustang converted his pace from qualifying into pole for Sunday’s race.
Payne leads the Shootout
Payne said confidence from the previous day helped, while overnight changes aimed at the soft tires appeared to improve the car. “It’s not easy. You don’t want to mess it up,” he said, pointing to the kerbs and the need to get several parts of the circuit right.
“The guys have given me a great car to be able to do it,” Payne said.
De Pasquale will line up alongside Payne on the front row. PremiAir Racing’s Cooper Murray took third, giving him a place on the second row.
A key grid spot in the title fight
The pole is Payne’s ninth of the season. With three races remaining at the Adelaide Grand Final, only Brodie Kostecki can still match or surpass Payne’s pole tally, the supplied championship context states.
Payne welcomed the prospect of heading to Adelaide with a cushion over Kostecki in the pole count. “Me and Adelaide have got a pretty good relationship,” he said.
The starting order puts the two Finals Series contenders side by side at Sandown, with Murray immediately behind them. Payne’s qualifying speed had already been evident in the preceding sessions: he was fastest in the final practice, narrowly ahead of Broc Feeney, before topping the Shootout.
For Sunday’s race, the front-row pairing makes the opening phase a natural point of focus, while Payne will aim to turn his pole position into a result from the lead. He credited the team’s setup changes and the car’s performance for helping him deliver the lap.
