Disaster for key contenders in chaotic 2026 Bend 500 start
Both Triple Eight cars hit in opening four laps, James Courtney in garage
Mark Winterbottom, Scott Pye, Lee Holdsworth, Bryce Fullwood penalised
The Kai Allen/Tim Slade Penrite Ford streaked away following a chaotic start to the 2026 AirTouch 500 at The Bend, as heavy rain struck.
Slade opened up a staggering 16-second lead through 16 laps after a wild opening to the race, which saw both Triple Eight Fords delayed, Mark Winterbottom penalised, Will Davison around, and several others strike trouble.
Todd Hazelwood bogged the pole-sitting #17 Shell V-Power Ford down, and was swallowed up by Winterbottom (#6 Monster Energy Ford) and Davison (#19 Penrite Ford).
Winterbottom tipped Davison into a spin at Turn 1, which opened the door for Slade to sail on through, Later around the lap, Winterbottom was rounded up by the sister car of Reuben Goodall (#55 Castrol Ford).
As the field cut through the spray, left behind by a pre-race deluge, Scott Pye (#888 Red Bull Ampol Ford) sent James Courtney (#20 Snowy River Caravans Chevrolet) into a spin at Turn 6.
A concertina through Turn 7 sent Zak Best (#3 LIQUI MOLY BLAHST Ford) and Brad Vaughan (#14 Farmers Union Iced Coffee Toyota) off the road.
Winterbottom was hit with a 15-second penalty over the Davison clash, despite claiming his former teammate “just turned in.”
On lap 4, Lee Holdsworth (#18 DEWALT Chevrolet) turned Nick Percat’s #88 Red Bull Ampol Ford around at Turn 6. Holdsworth was also hit with a 15-second penalty, as was Bryce Fullwood (#8 R&J Batteries Toyota), who spun Craig Lowndes (#15 Supercheap Auto Chevrolet).
As the first stint wore on, Hazelwood complained of a lack of grip and was 17th by lap 10, while Pye was penalised over the Courtney incident.
Jarrod Hughes picked off Goodall for second on lap 15, while Fabian Coulthard had charged 11th to fourth, and Richie Stanaway a brilliant sixth after launching from 18th.
On lap 20, Goodall bowled a wide at Turn 8 and dropped behind Coulthard and Stanaway, with Davison recovering to sixth ahead of the car that sent him into a spin.
Rain returned and struck in a big way; Slade spun at Turn 1, while Tony D'Alberto looped the #38 Shell V-Power Ford into the Turn 1 gravel trap. Stewart and Goodall also ran off, promoting Stanaway into second.
