Kostecki wins Sandown epic, disaster for Triple Eight

Brodie Kostecki has become the first driver to punch their ticket to the bp Adelaide Grand Final after an epic opening to the Penrite Oil Sandown 500.

The 2023 champion was made to fight for the win, muscling his way past both Will Brown and Cam Waters with bold moves for the lead in the middle of the race, before driving away to his ninth win of the season.

Payne and Waters got an even launch off the front row, with Payne holding the upper hand wit the inside line, before he promptly bolted from the field.

As Payne ran away at the front of the field, both Waters and Broc Feeney slipped through the field, Waters falling behind Will Brown into second on lap 8, whilst Feeney fell back to fifth behind Brodie Kostecki on lap 4.

There was also a vigorous battle between Cooper Murray and Thomas Randle for sixth, with Murray running Randle all the way to the inside wall on the front straight after Randle tagged him at the final corner. Murray was handed a bad sportsmanship flag for his efforts.

Payne had almost stretched his lead to four seconds when Aaron Cameron's Mustang suddenly burst into flames at, pulling over next to the marshal's post at the inside of Turn 4.

Cameron jumped out unharmed despite the LIQUI MOLY BLAHST Ford being well alight, with the Safety Car being brought out on lap 13.

That brought the whole field in to complete their first of two compulsory pit stops, and changed the complexion of the front of the field, as Payne tumbled out of the lead with a slow launch out of his pit bay.

Brown was promoted to the lead, short-filling to minimise the impacts of a double stack for Feeney and also cover off Kostecki, who also jumped ahead of the Penrite Ford.

Cameron's Mustang required a lengthy clean up, and the race wouldn't go green again until lap 20, and it wouldn't take for Brown and Kostecki to provide fireworks.

Kostecki had a clear car advantage over the 2024 champion, however the Red Bull Ampol Ford was able to fend off Kostecki's initial advances on lap 25.

Kostecki attempted to fire up the inside of Brown at Turn 2 on lap 25, sending Brown surfing through the mud, and Payne briefly jumped back ahead of Kostecki, only for the Shell V-Power Ford to power back ahead at Turn 6.

The Bathurst champion ranged back up to the rear of Brown, who was fighting tooth and nail to stay ahead for a potential automatic Grand Final berth, but on lap 36 his resistance came to a smoking halt.

Kostecki made his move stick at Turn 1, and in a wild attempt to regain the lead, Brown half stuck the nose in at Turn 4, but locked the rears and spun, almost collecting Payne as he rotated.

Spinning himself to the back of the pack, Brown was in desperate need of another Safety Car, and he got one on lap 39 when Jackson Walls ran off into the gravel at Turn 9 after locking his rear wheels.

That brought every car in to complete their final stops, and once again Penrite Racing couldn't get Payne out ahead despite having fuel in hand, with both Waters and Kostecki moving back ahead.

Kostecki was in no mood to hang around, and on lap 43 he launched another brave move at Turn 6, scything down the inside of Waters and going to the lead, pushing both Fords into the run-off area.

As Waters rejoined the circuit, Payne and Feeney started squabbling, and out Mostert pounced on both coming onto the front straight to move into third, though Feeney and Mostert would continue to swap position until Mostert got fourth on lap 63.

Waters also faded as the final stint wore on, and Payne motored past on lap 65 for second, leaving him with 14 laps to close down a 3.1s gap to Kostecki in the lead.

Waters fell back into the clutches of Mostert with eight laps to go, and the former teammates engaged in fierce combat, with Waters running ultra defensive. Mostert got into the rear of Waters on lap 77 at Turn 4, and moved on by into third as Waters slid wide.

Mostert gave the position back on the penultimate lap in order to avoid a penalty, whilst they both had to contend with a flying James Golding, who has showing superb late stint pace.

However, Kostecki was in cruise control at the head of the field, getting home with 5.3s in hand over Payne, with Waters hanging onto third ahead of Mostert and Golding.

Anton De Pasquale was sixth ahead of Cooper Murray, with Andre Heimgartner, Macauley Jones, and Zach Bates rounding out the top 10, despite picking up a late five second penalty.

Feeney tumbled through the field late as he struggled for rear tyre life, and ultimately finished 11th, whilst Brown was classified 20th after he picked up a further 15 second penalty for turning around Cameron Hill.

The final three Grand Final berths will be decided on Sunday, with just one point separating Feeney in fourth and Waters in fifth. Boost Mobile Qualifying begins at 10:45am AEDT.