Payne pips Kostecki for first Christchurch Supercars pole

Matt Payne has written his name into the history books as the first-ever Supercars pole winner in Christchurch.

The defending Jason Richards Memorial Trophy winner claimed the Boost Mobile Pole Award for Race 10 by the barest of margins, pipping Brodie Kostecki by just 0.0308s to claim his second pole of the season.

Payne, Kostecki, and Ryan Wood were the class of the field throughout the two-part session, and fittingly lock out the top three positions on the grid, while Kai Allen made it two Penrite Mustangs in the top four.

Q1

Broc Feeney immediately pushed the limits into Turns 1 and 2, the rear stepping out on the #88 Red Bull Ampol Racing Mustang and pushing him well wide of the apex.

Kostecki, Wood, and Payne established themselves as the early benchmarks, but they were all about three tenths away from Payne's benchmark from the sole practice session this morning.

With tyre degradation far less severe than it was last weekend in Taupo, drivers were able to get two push laps out of their Soft tyres, however most of the field only got one lap in for their all-important final run of Q1.

For Cam Waters, it was vitally important, as he ran well off at Turn 2 on his first run, and found himself at the tail of the field without a representative time against his name.

He did rise up into the top 10 initially, however as the last minute flyers continued to roll in, Waters would tumble back to 14th, with teammate Thomas Randle also knocked out in 11th.

Kostecki meanwhile sent out a massive statement to put half a second on the field, with Wood and Payne continuing to lock out the top three.

Anton De Pasquale and Zach Bates also leapt into the top 10 with their final flyers, ensuring there would be six Fords, two Toyotas, and two Chevrolets battling it out for pole.

Q2

The intensity was amped up for Q2, with four minutes slashed to make an eight-minute final session, while the changes to pit lane rules to ban double stacking this weekend also placed a premium on the qualifying duels between Triple Eight, Penrite Racing, and Walkinshaw TWG Racing.

The WTWGR Supras of Chaz Mostert and Wood were the early class of the field through the first sector, but it was Kostecki who continued his impressive qualifying form to go fastest on a 1:21.3286s.

Wood was just 0.0247s behind, and went faster again to Sector 1 the second time by, only for him to back out of it as the tyres began to fade away.

There were varying strategies utilised through the session, with Feeney electing to run a used tyre before a final run on greens, while Kai Allen went for one green tyre run right at the end.

Allen's entry to Turn 1 was impacted by Will Brown exiting pit lane, and his frustrations showed as he bowled into Turn 4 and locked the rears.

Though he would get another lap, all eyes were trained to his teammate Payne, who shot to the top on a 1:21.2978s, the fastest time of the day, pipping Kostecki by just 0.0308s.

Allen would eventually wind up fourth alongside Wood, while Brown out-qualified Feeney for the second race in a row, and will join De Pasquale on Row 3.

Bates was an impressive seventh alongside James Golding, with Feeney set to start alongside Mostert on Row 5.

The stage is now set for Supercars' first ever race at Christchurch this afternoon, which will begin at 4:35pm NZST/2:35pm AEST.