Payne dominant, Golding makes stunning Christchurch podium charge

Matt Payne has claimed a crushing win in Race 12 of the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship at the ITM Christchurch Super 440.

The reigning Bathurst winner never looked threatened this afternoon in New Zealand, putting on a clinic to romp home ahead of Broc Feeney by more than 11 seconds.

The third time was the charm for Payne, who finally converted a front row start into a lead at Turn 1, but not before Ryan Wood contemplated an audacious move around the outside of Turns 1 and 2.

Broc Feeney meanwhile got a mega start off the third row of the grid, vaulting from sixth to third by the time the field arrived at the kink at Turn 1.

Save for an awkward three-wide tangle between Jayden Ojeda, Chaz Mostert, and Aaron Cameron on the opening lap at Turn 6, the field was reasonably well behaved through the opening stanza of the race.

It allowed Payne to stretch his legs at the front of the field, gapping the entire field and setting a fastest lap some four tenths of a second quicker than Ryan Wood, who was the only other car in the 1:22s range.

The first car to pit was Anton De Pasquale from seventh on the road, and the DEWALT Camaro replicated it's strategy from Race 11 earlier today, with two rear tyres going on.

De Pasquale was the first of several drivers to go the two tyre route despite the softer compound, with Brodie Kostecki, Broc Feeney, and Ryan Wood the key frontrunners to change two tyres.

Kai Allen and Will Brown went the four tyre route, however it bit them both in the lane, with Allen's stop delayed, and Brown's delayed to the extent that Red Bull Ampol Racing could only change three tyres on the #888.

Payne extended his first stint out to 20 laps, and a slow, measured two tyre stop brought him out with four seconds in hand over Wood.

However, Wood couldn't shake the Red Bull Ampol Ford of Feeney, and the Toyota ran wide at Turn 6, opening the door for Feeney to bareg his way through on Lap 25.

That then invited Kostecki onto Wood's rear bar, and they both fired off into the dust at Turn 3, with De Pasquale briefly moving by Kostecki before he bowled a wide at Turn 4.

However, they all had James Golding to worry about as the first car on four tyres, and he picked his way past both De Pasquale and Kostecki in quick order, as he set about stealing an unlikely podium off Wood.

Kostecki faced nervous moments late as his engine temperatures shot up after ingesting a huge amount of dust in his Turn 3 excursion, and eased back from Golding, helped by De Pasquale bottling up a battle pack of Allen, Cam Waters, and Jack Le Brocq.

Golding's march wasn't done there, as he got by Wood with two laps to go, the culmination of an extraordinary charge through the field, and a brave four tyre play from Blanchard Racing Team.

Meanwhile, Payne drove off into the sunset, with no one having an answer for the #19 Ford as he cruised to an 11.6s win, leading Feeney and Payne in an all-Ford podium sweep.

Wood had to settle for fourth, extending his lead in the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy over Brodie Kostecki, who finished in fifth, whilst De Pasquale held off Allen, Waters, and Le Brocq for sixth. Rylan Gray claimed his second top 10 finish of the day in 10th.

The final day of the 2026 ITM Christchurch Super 440 commences with Boost Mobile Qualifying for Race 13 at 11:50am NZST/9:50am AEST.