Matt Payne entered Saturday 21 points behind Will Brown
Triple Eight teammates nine points apart in Perkins Trophy standings
Payne claimed first career pole on Saturday morning
Matt Payne is in the frame to take out the Larry Perkins Trophy after a stunning qualifying performance at Albert Park on Saturday.
The Penrite Racing driver qualified first and second for the final two races of the weekend, and entered Saturday just 21 points behind current leader Will Brown.
Red Bull Ampol Racing teammates Brown and Broc Feeney were slightly off the pace in Saturday qualifying, and are now in danger of ceding the Perkins Trophy to Payne.
Brown qualified sixth and ninth, with Feeney fourth and sixth after two bumper sessions.
Rising Kiwi star Payne, who claimed his maiden Supercars pole, also become the fourth-youngest pole-sitter at 21 years and 173 days.
“I’m just thinking of it as giving myself the best opportunity to try and get a good race result, and try and go for the win,” Payne said.
“We have good pace. The Triple Eight cars are fast, but as you saw in qualifying, they probably didn't quite get it right.
"So, we've got a good opportunity. We just need to use that and try and maximise it this afternoon."
The MSS Security Melbourne SuperSprint action will conclude on Sunday with Race 6, which starts at 10:25am, and will run for 14 laps or one lap after 10:53am.Share this pageShare this page
2024 Larry Perkins Trophy standings (after Race 4)
Pos. | Driver | Diff. |
---|---|---|
1 | Brown | |
2 | Feeney | -9 |
3 | Payne | -21 |
4 | Winterbottom | -44 |
5 | Waters | -46 |
6 | Percat | -47 |
7 | Mostert | -62 |
8 | Davison | -63 |
9 | Le Brocq | -65 |
10 | Hazelwood | -65 |
11 | Slade | -80 |
12 | Stanaway | -82 |
13 | Reynolds | -85 |
14 | Courtney | -86 |
15 | Wood | -91 |
16 | Fullwood | -92 |
17 | Heimgartner | -93 |
18 | Hill | -94 |
19 | De Pasquale | -101 |
20 | Golding | -103 |
21 | Love | -104 |
22 | Jones | -106 |
23 | Evans | -108 |
24 | Randle | -112 |