PODCAST: Payne determined for maiden Championship

Penrite Racing’s Matt Payne is heading into the Supercars Enduro Cup in a commanding position, sitting second in the Championship standings after a season built on consistency and key victories.

The 22-year-old New Zealander has already secured his place in the Finals, easing some pressure ahead of the two critical endurance rounds, including the Bathurst 1000. With three wins and seven podiums this year, Payne told Jax Tyres & Auto Race for the Championship’s Mark Fogarty that the turnaround in consistency compared with last season has been vital.

“It’s been a very good season for us so far,” Payne said.

“We’ve had a few wins and been really consistent, which was our Achilles heel last year. Our points scoring has helped not only my championship position but also the team’s, with both sitting second.”

While Broc Feeney has set the pace out front, Payne believes Penrite Racing is closing the gap.

“We certainly haven’t had the speed Broc has had, which is something we’re striving to improve. The tracks at the end of the year suit us better, but we’ll still need to lift.”

One factor Payne is counting on is the experience of co-driver Garth Tander, a five-time Bathurst 1000 winner. The pair’s physical similarities – both being tall and lanky – also provide an advantage during pit stops, with no seat or pedal adjustments required.

“Garth and I are definitely more prepared this time around,” Payne said.

“He knows what it takes at Bathurst and that helps us a lot. The fact we don’t need to change anything in the car also makes our driver changes much smoother.”

Now in his third full Supercars season, Payne credits Tander’s mentorship for accelerating his development. He also praised rookie teammate Kai Allen, highlighting the team’s blend of youth and experience as a key strength.

“The team is still relatively young, but we’ve got experienced people alongside some who are still learning fast,” Payne said.

“Kai’s done really well. I was in his shoes not long ago, so it’s cool to see him feeding off our car and us learning from his.”

Looking beyond this season, Payne is cautious about predictions as Penrite prepares to take on Triple Eight’s Ford Mustangs next year.

“Whatever they’re doing, we just need to keep focused on ourselves and be even better next year than we were this year.”

With a Finals berth locked in and Bathurst on the horizon, Payne knows the biggest challenges – and opportunities – still lie ahead and he’s not ruling out the possibility of a maiden Supercars Championship in 2025.