'Recipe for disaster': Winner Payne feared worst in Mostert/Kostecki incident
Matt Payne saw Chaz Mostert/Brodie Kostecki clash in mirrors
Kostecki sent through infield, narrowly missed by Mostert and Will Brown
Payne feared Kostecki could have arrived at different trajectory
Double Christchurch winner Matt Payne was relieved the dramatic Chaz Mostert/Brodie Kostecki incident didn't deliver a different outcome.
Payne dominated Race 13 from pole position, leading home Penrite Racing teammate Kai Allen in a brilliant 1-2 for the Ford squad, the first in their history.
However, headlines were stolen by a controversial clash between Mostert and Kostecki, with contact sending the latter through the Turn 2/3 infield.
Payne was well clear of the contact, before Kostecki was sent onto the grass and out of control. The dust kicked up by the Shell V-Power Ford caught Payne’s attention, but there was little the leader could do.
Payne, Allen and Broc Feeney got through before Kostecki arrived on the scene. Mostert checked up, while Will Brown smartly reacted and drove off the road.
The top three finishers watched the chaos unfold in the bp Cooldown Room. Such was Payne’s shock, that he put his hand over his mouth.
Speaking afterwards on Supercars’ Equip Super Cool Down Lap podcast, Payne said: “I could see a heck of a lot of dust coming up.
“Watching that incident in the Cooldown Room, obviously you could see what was happening.
“I don’t really know what to say, everyone could see what happened.”
Mostert was penalised over the clash, and was reclassified from fourth to 17th. Kostecki finished 18th, prompting both drivers and their teams to share versions of events.
What mattered most to Payne, was that Kostecki didn’t take out any cars on the way through, or was hit by rivals through the dust cloud as he came to rest.
Dust had already been a big talking point heading into Sunday's race, yet all drivers managed to avoid the stricken Kostecki car as he sat broadside to the circuit.
“I’m glad Brodie didn’t end up on a slightly different trajectory, that’s when things could’ve really unfolded,” Payne said.
“Going onto the other side of the track, the dust and then not being able to see, it was a recipe for disaster. Not sure how nothing happened.
“Obviously some pretty interesting driving going on around there, luckily I wasn’t part of it.”
Payne moved to third in the championship behind new leader Feeney and Kostecki.
