Kostecki emphatic, Brown back on podium in Ipswich opener

Brodie Kostecki has returned to the top step of the podium with an emphatic victory in Race 26 at the Century Batteries Ipswich Super 440.

The 2023 champion won the start off the front row over polesitter Matt Payne, and was never headed in a commanding performance, claiming his seventh win of the season.

After an even initial launch, Payne bogged down in the second phase, with Kostecki going into Turn 1 in the lead, and Will Brown almost diving down the extreme inside after a great start from fourth.

That invited Mostert into the frame, rattling along the side of Brown, before they swapped positions several times across the opening lap, Mostert eventually prevailing at Turn 5.

Whilst the two most recent champions boxed on, Kostecki and Payne pulled out to the tune of 1.5 seconds on the opening lap, Payne just three tenths behind the #17 Ford.

Mostert fell further back, Brown leaving his signature on the rear bar of the #1 Toyota before he made an early stop on lap eight, joining the likes of Jayden Ojeda and Cameron Hill as early stoppers.

Kai Allen was the next of the leaders to pit, coming in from fourth on lap 13. Mostert was able to pull a larger margin over the Penrite Ford, though Allen had a tyre advantage.

Payne had drifted to about two seconds behind Kostecki by the time he made his stop on lap 18, with a little hold up on the left rear coming off the #19 Ford.

Kostecki reacted the next time by, Dick Johnson Racing changing three tyres to Penrite Racing's four, with Allen and Mostert both jumping the pair.

However, with a big tyre advantage, Kostecki was back ahead of both of them by the end of his out lap, helped by Allen pushing Mostert off at the exit of Turn 5.

Allen was hit with a five second penalty for his role in the incident, with teammate Payne also jumping ahead on road.

At the end of the stop cycle, Kostecki led Payne, Allen, Mostert, and Brown. Rylan Gray was a superb sixth in the best day of his rookie campaign, however he was battling with an ill-sounding engine, suspected to be an exhaust cam issue.

Payne had closed the margin to Kostecki back up to half a second, but was unable to get any closer as Kostecki was in full control at the head of the field.

Mostert, meanwhile, was trending the wrong way, with Brown moving by for an effective podium on lap 28 with Allen's looming penalty, and Broc Feeney moving past into fifth on lap 32.

Kostecki came home with a 2.1 second margin over Payne, who inched closer to the Repco Sprint Cup, with Allen demoted from third to fifth after his penalty was applied.

That promoted Brown to the podium, his first since Taupō in April, with Feeney, Allen, Mostert, Gray, Cam Waters, Ryan Wood, and Thomas Randle rounding out the top 10.

Race 27 of the 2026 Repco Supercars Championship will commence at 4:15pm local time.