Supercars Championship: 2026 Townsville 500 Race 20 Recap | Waters takes a thrilling victory
- Tayla Purves
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
Photo credit: Supercars Instagram
Twenty-six race cars take on Townsville this weekend, the grid joined by two new faces at Rueben Goodall and racing royalty Aaron Seton.
Just thirty-five laps will take place this afternoon, giving a short taste of what's to come over Saturday and Sunday in Townsville.
This weekend marks the twentieth visit to North Queensland during the Supercars Championship's time in Australia, the track always giving a strong action packed event.
On the front of the grid, Brodie Kostecki led the pack with a very quick 1:12.821, with Cameron Waters behind pairing with him for the highly anticipated Race 20 start.
Just behind the front row is Matt Payne and Chaz Mostert, equally just as quick, providing a thrilling qualifying.
Wild-card entrants Goodall qualified 24th and Seton qualified in 26th.
As it happened
Two battles immediately broke out with two Fords bumping and blocking on the dirty side of the track - Kostecki coming under fire from Payne giving a rough hit to the No.17 Shell V Power Mustang rear, as Mostert remained close to the tail of Waters.
Kostecki lost his way from race lead to just behind the podium contention. It continued mid-pack as Ryan Wood came close to the concrete barrier and down the side of Thomas Randle.
Lap 3 caused more chaos, Payne looked for a dive bomb opportunity, while Mostert opens his steering and Kostecki began the climb back to his pole position placement; aggressive, albeit impressive, race craft was shown by Kostecki as he fought to regain the positions lost.
The next lap, Kostecki got the move done and he was set out to chase down the No.6 Monster Energy Mustang ahead.
The mayhem seemed to have calmed down until Lap 7 when Payne popped onto the radio to suggest a potential motor failure could be on it's way, feeling slight vibrations within the cockpit; the team reassuring him all looked fine, including his straight-line speed for the meantime - off the start there was light contact on the opening lap, which could see an issue arise.
Lap 8, Seton gained a 15-second time penalty for an unfortunate driving infringement, the weekend ahead looking tough for car No.30.
The Red Bull Ampol Racing Mustang's seemed to be on a roll, Will Brown making up eight positions, with his teammate and current championship leader Broc Feeney making up four of his own positions; the Bull's certainly have their sights set.
Mostert was overtaken by Kai Allen, the two criss-crossing as Mostert regained his position in fourth - Mostert will achieve his 200th race with Walkinshaw this Sunday, making him a known Supercars Veteran.
Lap 12 saw Kostecki begin chasing down Waters, clicking over as the quickest pace out in the field. Anton De Pasquale became the first pit stop, stopping incredibly early meaning he has twenty-two laps to complete on the four new tyres.
Waters has had an error with his communication radio, only being heard if he yells loudly - a challenging error to have leading the race.
The battle between Waters and Kostecki continued on, nail biting for fans as the No.6 Mustang's green lights emerged while Payne can be seen creeping behind, slowly catching up, the thrill in the 'ville well and truly alive.
Further down the grid, Declan Fraser flew down the inside on Cooper Murray, the mid-pack filled with it's own action - Zach Bates made a move on Jackson Walls, the racing on show today one of a kind.
Lap 15, Seton found himself right in the middle of Goodall and Macauley Jones, Seton coming out better in the battle; his livery a tribute to his family name.
Payne began chasing down the two leaders, but on Lap 17 he ducked into the pit lane, a pivotal moment for the race lead battle as the front runners continue on and Mostert follows the No.19 Penrite Racing Mustang into the lane.
The undercut worked out, Payne coming out behind his teammate Kai Allen, the No.26 Mustang leading the way as Mostert comes into contention behind.
Lap 18 Waters made his way into the pit lane, Kostecki becoming effective race leader. The No.6 Mustang's stop a success, coming out ahead of the Penrite Racing Mustangs.
More drama erupted for the Monster Castrol team, raising questions on radio effectiveness as Randle almost went into the occupied lane, the radio frantic to stay out, the No.55 Castrol Mustang later taking its stop on Lap 21.
Kostecki remained the last driver to stop in the pit lane, his gap around +34.909 as he line dup to his pit box. All four tyres were replaced, the stop quick and effortless - Lap 25 continued as the No.17 Mustang came out slipping into the middle of Allen and Mostert.
At Turn 13 on Lap 26, Kostecki made his way by Allen, charging down the two ahead of the field, his gap to chase down an estimated 6-seconds to Payne and Waters.
Further down the grid, the action began to even out as the end of the race approached, with just seven laps to go until the chequered flag as a four-way battle began between Jack Le Brocq, Randle, Brown and Wood; a train of Supercars energy coming together - Brown proving to be a real threat for the weekend ahead; he managed eleven positions gained over the duration of the race.
Randle made a move on Lap 30, overtaking Le Brocq and maintaining his sixth position place. Brown followed suit, going down the inside of the No.4 Chevrolet Camaro, Wood attempting the same move and successfully getting it done.
The charge between the top three returned with just three laps remaining of the race, the gap between each sitting at just one second.
Lap 33 saw close action on Le Brocq as Feeney and Jayden Ojeda flew past and making the top ten, pivotal for Feeney's championship hopes.
Kostecki took the chance to make his move on Payne; The No.17 Shell V Power Mustang in yellow and white going past with ease and precision, his focus turning to Waters ahead as two laps stand between them and the top step of the podium.
Turn 11 with one lap to go, Kostecki gains closer to the rear of Waters, their headlights on around Townsville's Reid Park street circuit , the No.17 Mustang gaining as they cross the chequered flag, Waters managing to just hold onto the race win.
Payne now leads the Repco Supercars Championship for the second time this season, ahead of Feeney by eight points.
The paddock go racing again in North Queensland tomorrow for Race 21, featuring a 68-lap race at 3:05pm AEST.
The Results
Cameron Waters
Brodie Kostecki
Matthew Payne
Kai Allen
Chaz Mostert
Thomas Randle
Will Brown
Ryan Wood
Jayden Ojeda
Broc Feeney
Jack Le Brocq
James Golding
Cooper Murray
Anton De Pasquale
Andre Heimgartner
David Reynolds
Rylan Gray
Jackson Walls
Cameron Hill
Aaron Cameron
Declan Fraser
Jobe Stewart
Zach Bates
Macauley Jones
Rueben Goodall
Aaron Seton
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