Kostecki extends All Stars points lead with Monza win

Brodie Kostecki has gone back-to-back in the Cash Converters Supercars Eseries with victory at Monza.

Kostecki, who claimed the points lead at the previous race at Daytona, led the 12-lap All Stars race from start to finish.

In the space of a week, the Erebus driver has raced from zero to two career Eseries wins, and extended his points lead in the process.

Kostecki enjoyed a clear lead off the line into Turn 1, where Anton De Pasquale was tipped into a spin by Richie Stanaway.

Some drivers opted to shortcut the chicane, with Matt McLean turned around. Jack Le Brocq was also left facing the wrong way at corner exit.

Matthew Payne quickly moved past Stanaway into second, with Chaz Mostert copping a slow-down penalty for short-cutting the first corner chicane.

Mostert slotted into the train in 11th, but gained ground back when Thomas Randle was sent into the air at the final corner.

Kostecki enjoyed a three-second lead on lap 5 over Payne, with Stanaway holding onto third ahead of Justin Ruggier.

By lap 7, the leaders had stopped, with Kostecki re-emerging ahead of Payne, who had followed him into the lane.

Effective third was Ruggier, with Stanaway and James Golding completing the top five.

The mandatory BP Ultimate Safety Car was triggered on lap 8, with the whole field neutralised.

Kostecki was forced to defend from a racy Payne on the restart, with Nick Percat battling De Pasquale, who had recovered to eighth.

A brave Percat tried to clear Mostert at the second chicane, but was fed into the path of De Pasquale and spun to the outfield.

De Pasquale moved past Mostert into seventh on lap 10 as Stanaway relegated Ruggier to fourth.

Golding dropped Ruggier to fifth out of the final corner, with Cameron Waters eyeing another top five finish.

Kostecki, however, was peerless en route to his second straight win, with Payne claiming his second podium of 2021.

Stanaway banished his last-start nightmare at Daytona to finish third, with Golding, Ruggier and Waters line astern to the flag.

Kostecki extended his series lead over Waters from 18 to 66 points, with Stanaway and Golding 99 and 108 points adrift respectively. 

The All Stars will return to the track next week for a Bathurst enduro alongside their Pro Series teammates.