First lap pile-up headlines chaotic opening to Race 22

Race 22 of the Repco Supercars Championship has got off to a wild start at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, with 15 cars being caught up in a lap one pile up.

On the run from the Beach Chicane to Turn 11 at Breaker Street, Richie Stanaway dived up the inside of Anton De Pasquale for 11th place, with De Pasquale closely following Ryan Wood.

The Shell V-Power Mustang nudged the rear of the Mobil 1 Truck Assist Mustang, with Wood being deposited into the tyre wall, and De Pasquale running wide of the apex.

James Courtney was then pushed into De Pasquale by David Reynolds, who had a train of cars tucked in behind, and both De Pasquale and Courtney spun, all but blocking the track.

Everyone from 10th back was involved in the incident as the backmarkers arrived onto the scene around the blind corner, with Nick Percat copping the worst of the damage in his Bendix Camaro.

De Pasquale was out on the spot after slapping the inside wall, whilst Courtney and Percat both lost several laps as they returned to the pit lane to repair their damaged cars.

All other cars were able to carry on with cosmetic damage, although a handful did manage to escape without any contact or damage.

Whilst in the garage waiting for his Snowy River Caravans Mustang to be patched up, Courtney explained his view of the incident: "I got down in there and I think Woody was having half a moment with Anton in front of me, Stanaway, and we were all sort of there.

"I could see it all happening so I tried to stop, and I had 12 cars in the back of me trying to push me through the accident.

"It's really disappointing, we've come a long way, had some good car speed this weekend, and it looks like we might be home earlier than we thought."

As of lap 29, pole-sitter Brodie Kostecki leads the race from Cam Waters and Stanaway in the middle of the first pit stop cycle.