Kostecki pips Payne, Ojeda stuns in final Tasmania practice
Brodie Kostecki sets fastest time of the day in final Tasmania practice
Kostecki pips Matt Payne by just 0.0098s
Rookie Jayden Ojeda a surprise third
Brodie Kostecki and Matt Payne ended the final practice session of the Tyrepower Tasmania Super 440 all-but-equal at Symmons Plains.
Only 0.0098s could separate the Repco Sprint Cup contenders at the end of 25 minutes, heading a resurgent Chevrolet contingent that was surprisingly led by PremiAir Racing rookie Jayden Ojeda.
Anton De Pasquale and Practice 1 pacesetter David Reynolds immediately went back to the top for Team 18, however Matt Payne quickly usurped them on a 51.4678s.
Lingering brake issues continued to hamper the Toyotas, Walkinshaw TWG Racing again bleeding the brakes on Chaz Mostert and Ryan Wood's cars, whilst Brad Jones Racing drivers Andre Heimgartner and Macauley Jones both ran long at Turn 4.
When Wood did go out, he was once again on the money to jump into the tail of the top five, whilst PremiAir Racing's strong Tasmanian form continued with Declan Fraser jumping to second. just 0.0069s off Payne.
With 10 minutes remaining, Reynolds went back to the top on a 51.3947s, whilst Kai Allen slotted in behind his teammate into third on a 51.4732s.
James Golding was on course to jump into the top five before he rode through the grass at Turn 7, before De Pasquale then made it a Team 18 1-2 again.
Jackson Walls impressed to rise to sixth, comfortably clear of his Red Bull Ampol Racing stablemates Will Brown and Broc Feeney who were 10th and 14th ahead of happy hour in the final minutes of the session.
Reynolds improved on the first lap of his final run, moving the marker all the way to a 51.0286s, the fastest time of the weekend to date.
Heimgartner was the first to give Reynolds's mark a nudge, going within 0.0044s of Reynolds, before Payne and Brodie Kostecki jumped ahead.
Kostecki's mark of a 50.9478s would remain unbeaten through to the finish, with Payne just 0.0098s behind, and PremiAir rookie Jayden Ojeda leaping to third, the only other driver to dip into the 50 second range.
Reynolds wound up fourth to finish a strong Friday, ahead of Heimgartner, De Pasquale, Cameron Hill, Wood, Mostert, and Brown.
Championship leader Broc Feeney was only 15th, just behind Cam Waters.
Supercars action commences tomorrow with Boost Mobile Qualifying for Race 14 at 10am local time.
