Payne, Murray escape bizarre practice chicane clash

Reigning Jason Richards Memorial Trophy winner Matt Payne’s Taupō campaign nearly unravelled in Friday practice in a hairy clash with Cooper Murray.

The Practice 2 results show Murray in 13th and Payne 22nd, but the latter's final flyer was wasted after he encountered a group of cars, including Murray, at the final complex of corners.

In the closing minutes of Practice 2, which was paced by Walkinshaw TWG Racing driver Ryan Wood, attention turned to Jackson Walls taking to the escape road.

As cameras followed Walls’ #11 Objective Ford, Payne closed on Murray as cars approached the final chicane.

Cameras then turned to Payne, who had seemingly locked up and run wide, before coming into pit lane.

With only 90 seconds remaining in the session, Payne didn’t go back out, dropping from 10th to 22nd. Murray sat 22nd at the time of the incident, but pressed on and improved to 13th.

Replays showed Murray side-stepping for Walls, who caught Andre Heimgartner and bailed out of his lap. With Murray slowing in reaction, Payne caught the Erebus Camaro.

The end result was contact, a bizarre outcome in practice, although it could have been much worse for both Murray and the 2025 Bathurst 1000 winner.

Payne’s front bar sustained minor scuffing damage, while Erebus mechanics buffed Murray’s rear bumper and reapplied new vinyl.

It was the second time today that cars had made contact, with Zach Bates copping a substantial enough hit from James Golding to fold the rear left guard onto the tyre of the Bendix Camaro early in Practice 1.

Payne sits fourth in points, having briefly led the championship in Melbourne, with Murray 24th and last after bruising rounds in Sydney and Melbourne.