Kostecki, Payne split Saturday Super 440 poles in Taupō

Matt Payne and Brodie Kostecki have scooped the Saturday Boost Mobile Pole Positions at the ITM Taupō Super 440, on what was a busy and confusing morning in New Zealand.

The two sessions were plagued by timing issues during on-track action, but Kostecki emerged the class of the field across the two sessions, putting his #38 Jet Couriers Ford Mustang in second and first for Saturday's 120km sprints.

Penrite Racing driver Payne soared to his third career pole in the first session, beating Kostecki by 0.07s, before the 2023 Supercars champion claimed his first pole for Dick Johnson Racing in Race 9 qualifying.

It was a mixed morning for the championship contenders, with both Triple Eight drivers failing to progress to Q2 in the first session, which was held on Dunlop's Soft tyre compound. Broc Feeney, who will start 11th for Race 8, improved to third for Race 9, with Kostecki and Chaz Mostert to share the front row.

Reigning champion Will Brown qualified 13th and fifth, while Tickford Racing driver Cam Waters will start from third and sixth.

The first 37-lap race of the day, Race 8, will commence at 12:50pm NZST/10:50am AEST. Race 9 will round out Saturday's action from 4:05pm NZST/2:05pm AEST

Race 8 qualifying

In 2025, Saturday qualifying at Super 440 events see the top 10 drivers progress from the 10-minute Q1 to fight for pole in the eight-minute Q2. All 24 cars rolled out on the Soft tyre compound under sunny skies, with Kostecki quickest after the first runs in Q1 on a 1:26.2039s, ahead of Ryan Wood (1:26.3224s) and Will Brown (1:26.4515s).

With the field in pit lane, the top 10 was comprised of Kostecki, Wood, Brown, Bryce Fullwood, Anton De Pasquale, Jaxon Evans, Macauley Jones, Feeney, Richie Stanaway and Will Davison. Payne was 14th, Waters 19th, and Mostert 17th.

Feeney improved to second with a 1:26.2613s, but a flurry of times put the Triple Eight driver down the order. Payne powered to the top with a 1:25.7084s ahead of Kostecki (1:25.7157s) and Wood (1:9760s). De Pasquale, Cooper Murray, Davison, Waters, Mostert, Jack Le Brocq and Cameron Hill rounded out the top 10.

Feeney missed out on a Q2 berth by just 0.0022s, with Thomas Randle, Brown and Andre Heimgartner 12th through 14th. Blanchard Racing Team teammates Aaron Cameron and James Courtney rounded out the field, behind Nick Percat and Kai Allen.

Payne marginally improved in Q2 with a 1:25.7006s, with Kostecki emerging as his closest rival. As Payne remained in pit lane, Kostecki recorded a 1:25.7711s to sit second, with Waters, Wood, Davison and Mostert completing an all-Ford top six.

"Yeah it was pretty good actually with the two sessions, so it was basically the same time for each, so the Penrite Racing Ford Mustang was pretty hooked up," said Payne, who claimed his third career pole, and first since Taupō last year.

"It good to be back on pole, especially where we did it last year as well, so it's pretty special. I've still got one qualifying session so let's hope we can do the same."

Race 9 qualifying

After a brief break and two additional delays, drivers returned on the Super Soft tyre. Feeney opened proceedings with a 1:26.9793s, before Kostecki (1:26.3864s) and Payne (1:26.4435s) again emerged as the pace setters.

Waters, meanwhile, didn't fire a shot at all on his opening run after bungling the back chicane. The Tickford Racing driver immediately returned to pit lane, and joined Hill as the only drivers not to set a flyer in the opening runs.

Mostert and WAU took a risk and opted for one Q1 run, and the two-time Bathurst winner jumped to third with a 1:26.5840s. After the first runs, Kostecki, Payne, Mostert, Davison, Brown, Wood, Feeney, De Pasquale, Heimgartner and Allen held down the top 10 positions.

All drivers bar Kostecki, Payne and Mostert returned to the track, with Davison jumping to first with a 1:26.2526s. Randle and Waters improved to fourth and sixth. Feeney also snuck into Q2 in eighth, with Mostert and De Pasquale surviving in ninth and 10th.

Seemingly, the biggest scalp was Wood, who after topping Friday practice and qualifying fourth for Race 8, missed out in 12th.

Feeney kicked off Q2, but made an error at the final corner en route to a 1:27.8516s. Kostecki then made a statement with a 1:26.3482s, which proved enough for pole as Mostert recorded a 1:26.4194s. Under pressure, Feeney recovered to third ahead of Davison, with Brown, Waters, Payne, Allen, De Pasquale and Randle rounding out the top 10.

"Stoked with that one, it wasn't the cleanest lap at the end, but we were able to be a bit better when we only have two sets of tyres," said Kostecki, who claimed his first Supercars pole as a Ford driver.

"We just saved that set of tyres going into that qualy there, and just a big thank you to the whole Shell V-Power Racing team. We don't have Dick and Jillie here this weekend, so hey guys, I'm sure you're watching on the couch, and the Doc [Dr Ryan Story] as well.

"Stoked for the whole team, we've got a couple of good grid slots today, so we're trying to capitalise on those."