Payne shrugs off Shootout spin with 'ballsy' strategy

Supercars

20 Jul

"I feel like if we did a two-stopper, I wouldn’t be sitting here, so credit to them"

3 mins by James Pavey

Panasonic Air Conditioning Sydney SuperNight

Sydney SuperNight

Sydney

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Matt Payne shrugs off Shootout spin with 'ballsy' strategy
Payne started 10th for Race 15 after Shootout mistake
Rising star converted one-stop strategy to second

After spinning in the Top Ten Shootout, Matt Payne had it all to do at Sydney Motorsport Park.

Fast forward a few hours, and he led until the closing laps, and was just two seconds from a second victory in as many races.

For the second race in succession, Penrite Racing made a bold strategy play and delivered more silverware to rising star Payne.

Starting 10th after his Shootout mistake, when Payne rotated at Turn 10, the #19 Penrite Ford was put onto a one-stop strategy as his rivals opted for the conventional two-stop.

Payne, as he did in Townsville, did everything he needed to do, but was powerless to deny a rampant Chaz Mostert with four laps remaining.

When asked if there was anything he could have done differently, he replied: “Yeah, actually, there’s one big thing — not spin out in the Top Ten Shootout.

“That would have really helped. We were actually on a really good lap, so that was a really bad mistake from my part.

“Starting further up would have helped a lot and made our life easier having a bit more gap for the last stint.”

Payne hailed his crew for another strategy masterstroke, with the New Zealander consolidating fifth in the championship with his fourth podium of the season.

However, at the time, Payne had his reservations about the strategy, given the nature of the tyre-killing Sydney circuit.

“Our original plan was a two-stopper, just pretty much like everyone else,” Payne said.

“Then it was probably 12-15 laps through the first stint and the guys were like, ‘We’re thinking of a one-stop’. And then the lap later, ‘Yeah we’re definitely doing a one-stop.

“I was like, ‘Man you guys have got some balls’ and I was sort thinking this is going to be pretty tough… but just stuck to my guns in the second stint.

“It’s pretty tough, when you see 28 laps to go and you’re rolling out of the pits, you know it’s going to be a long way.

“It’s really cool for the team to trust themselves and I fully trust them to make the right decision and I feel like we did today.

“I feel like if we did a two-stopper, I wouldn’t be sitting here [in the press conference], so credit to them, they did a really good job and I’m just happy I could have discipline and bring it home."

Supercars will return to the track on Sunday for Boost Mobile Qualifying at 12:05pm AEST, before the Top Ten Shootout at 1:40pm. The Panasonic Air Conditioning Sydney SuperNight will conclude with Race 16 at 4:05pm.