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How did Supercars' newest rookies fare in Newcastle?

14 Mar 2023
It was a mixed weekend for our newest drivers
2 mins by James Pavey
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It was a mixed weekend for Supercars’ newest drivers at the Thrifty Newcastle, with three young stars making their debuts.

Matt Payne (Penrite Racing), Declan Fraser (Tickford Racing) and Cameron Hill (Matt Stone Racing) made their full-time debuts last weekend.

The three drivers had their moments — Fraser and Payne combined for 17 positions gained in Race 1 — but it wasn’t all roses.

Fraser crashed out of Race 2 off the line after a collision with Macauley Jones, while Hill found trouble twice on Sunday.

Then, there’s Payne, who was unwell in the lead-up to Sunday’s race.

In all, all three drivers showed they had the mettle to perform in the top flight with glimpses of speed and smarts.

Importantly, each of their teammates impressed — David Reynolds scored pole, Cam Waters a belated win, and Jack Le Brocq eighth in points.

Matt Payne

Race 1: Qualified 22nd, finished 12thRace 2: Qualified 12th, finished 14thChampionship: 12th

The youngest driver on the grid, Payne’s first weekend with Penrite Racing was headlined by a superb Race 1 drive from 22nd to 14th, which became 12th when both Red Bull Ampol Camaros were disqualified.

Come Sunday, and Payne finished 14th, having fallen unwell prior to the race — a point teammate David Reynolds humorously home in the post-race press conference.

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Declan Fraser

Race 1: Qualified 24th, finished 13thRace 2: Qualified 24th, finished DNFChampionship: 24th

The 2022 Super2 champion put in a sterling drive from 24th to 15th on Saturday, which later became 13th. Across both races, it was the single biggest jump in positions all weekend.

Sunday’s race lasted all of 50 metres after Fraser collided with Macauley Jones off the line, with the #56 TRADIE Ford out on the spot.

It ruined what could have been another charge from Fraser, who despite his one-lap struggles, showed a calm head over a long distance.

Cameron Hill

Race 1: Qualified 19th, finished 20thRace 2: Qualified 22nd, finished 21stChampionship: 22nd

Hill’s first race weekend in a Truck Assist Chevrolet was very much a learning curve, with teammate Jack Le Brocq eighth in the points.

The 2021 Carrera Cup champion came home 20th and 21st in the two races, with Sunday a bruising day for the Canberran.

Hill spun out at Turn 9 during qualifying, and later bowled a wide at Turn 1 in the race. Critically, he finished both races, and heads to Albert Park with a point to prove.

The 2023 Repco Supercars Championship will resume at the Beaurepaires Melbourne SuperSprint on March 30-April 2.

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