Brodie Kostecki/Kai Allen clash rocks Sprint Cup
Kostecki tipped into Turn 1 sandtrap over clash with Allen
Collision deemed racing incident, Matt Payne wins
Brodie Kostecki’s faint hopes of a Repco Sprint Cup win have been all but extinguished after a controversial clash with Ford rival Kai Allen.
Shell V-Power Racing Team star Kostecki and Penrite Racing driver Allen collided disputing fourth position with 13 laps remaining in Saturday’s Bosch Power Tools Perth Super 440 opener.
The Shell V-Power Racing Team jumped Kostecki from eighth to effective fourth through the pit sequence, with reigning champion Chaz Mostert moving into third.
Allen was unable to dislodge Kostecki in a wild battle that also implicated Tickford Racing’s Thomas Randle and Team 18’s Anton De Pasquale.
After resisting De Pasquale, Allen attacked Kostecki into Turn 1, only to strike the inside grass and send the #17 Mustang into the sand trap.
With Kostecki buried, the Shannons Safety Car was deployed, slashing long-time leader Matt Payne's 4.5s lead. Payne was able to maintain his lead off the restart to claim his fourth win of 2026.
Allen’s engineer Riccardo Corte radioed his driver, saying there was no fault on the side of the #26 driver. Allen replied: “I was trying to pass him for 10 laps, and he was blocking me.”
Officials deemed it a racing incident, enabling Allen to restart and fight for a podium. Allen would come home sixth, with Payne winning over Ryan Wood and Anton De Pasquale.
Kostecki dropped from 187 to 255 points behind Payne, all but forming a two-horse race between Payne and Broc Feeney for the Sprint Cup. Cam Waters jumped Kostecki into third, and is 42 points ahead of the DJR driver.
Allen remains fifth, albeit dropping even further behind Payne, who extended his lead over Feeney to 118 points.
