Payne responds to question on Supercars future

Bathurst champion Matt Payne has given little away amid continued speculation over his Supercars future.

The New Zealander is tied down to Penrite Racing until the end of 2027, but is understood to have fielded interest from General Motors.

Payne has been in the Grove set-up since 2021, and has raced for the team in the main game since 2023.

Teams have moved to lock down drivers to long-term deals of late; notably, Payne’s teammate Kai Allen is signed to 2030, as is Brodie Kostecki to Dick Johnson Racing.

Broc Feeney and Will Brown also signed extensions with Red Bull Ampol Racing last year through 2029.

In recent weeks, Penrite Racing confirmed technical boss Grant McPherson will join GM.

The future of Payne may also dictate what happens to Team 18 incumbent David Reynolds, who recently opened up about speculation over his own future to Supercars.com.

When asked about his future on MotorRacing 360, Payne said: “I can’t really shed too much light on it at the moment.

“My job at the moment is to go fast in the race car I’m in — that’s the Ford Mustang with Penrite Racing, so that’s what I’m focused on.

“We have a championship to win at the end of the day, so that’s where my thoughts are heading.”

That immediate focus shifts to this weekend’s ITM Taupō Super 440, which opens the inaugural ITM NZ Double Header.

Payne is coming off two poor results in Melbourne, which saw the Kiwi drop from the championship lead to fourth. The 23-year-old won’t sit back this weekend, saying pre-round: “For sure, I'm going to fight with everything I've got.

“Hopefully we’re fast enough like we were last year to come through [with the Jason Richards Trophy].”

Track action in Taupō commences on Friday.