Supercars Championship: 2026 Townsville 500 Race 22 Recap | Kostecki rules the paddock on Sunday in Townsville
- Tayla Purves
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
Photo credit: Brodie Kostecki Instagram
In the Boost Mobile Top Ten Shoot Out, Cameron Waters led the field with a nail-biting 1:12.564, with Brodie Kostecki joining the No.6 Mustang on the front row.
Behind the quickest of the session, Matthew Payne and Ryan Wood make up the second row.
68 laps lay ahead on Sunday afternoon at Reid Park, Townsville.
As it happened
Sunday in Townsville is always known for a thrill, and today's race was no different. The chaos broke out as at Turn 2, Wood flew through with a clean, ballsy and beautiful move adding pressure onto Waters, the field looking switched on while further down, a collision occurs involving at least several cars.
The battle between the No.6 Mustang and No.2 Toyota Supra heated up as the Shannons Safety Car comes out - Jones' No.96 Toyota Supra looking battered on its way to the pit lane. This marks the Safety Car's ninth deployment this season.
Replay footage shows a major mid-pack smash and run; those impacted by heavy contact that could end a race include Jones, Cameron and Andre Heimgartner - the three who were worse off from the incident.
Lap 3, the racing got back underway the pack fairly even as the battle from the opening lap reignites.
15-second time penalty for car No.99 was given for a driving infringement, Cooper Murray's Chevrolet Camaro sitting just outside the top ten.
Lap 8, Kostecki pulled a close and clean pass on Wood for second in the race early on, the race already incredibly intense as they head towards double digits in laps at Reid Park. The move winning the first Fireball Fire Pass memento of the race.
Lap 10, Heimgartner officially retired from Race 22, his Toyota Supra back firing with an ugly sounding engine - on track, Kai Allen pushes the limits to overtake Wood, his teammate behind eagerly waiting for a chance. Penrite Mustang's looked quick and ready to charge forward.
On Lap 13, Payne's front axel began getting quite hot, the No.19 radio suggesting his grip is lacking, his teammate ahead giving too much hot air - not ideal race conditions.
Lap 15 was the first pit stop of the race, Ryaln Gray coming into the lane early on - the pit window now open for strategies to take place as the field on track begin to form a train; Anton De Pasquale popping in as well.
Lap 17, Kostecki and Payne make their way into the lane, a clear strategic move on the go for clean air and track position.
Lap 26, Waters and Wood come into the lane - their stops quick as they take a refuel and tyres. Waters is immediately under fire by Mostert, Waters keeping track position.
Lap 37 saw an intense battle between Payne and Waters, the half mark of the race approaching as last pit stops of the race began taking place.
Waters made his way past Payne, effectively taking second position in the race on Lap 38 - the No.6 Mustang going down the inside at Turn 2 and sliding past down in first gear to get the corner right.
Thomas Randle had an almost identical move to his teammate over De Pasquale, getting the move done and pushing forward.
With just seven laps to go, a fight for third arised, Waters defending his place on the podium against Chaz Mostert.
Down inside the top ten, Le Brocq strengthened his pace - climbing six positions so far in Race 22.
By Lap 51, majority of the field had taken their second stop - Allen having a slow and awkward stop, costing his previous track position and potential contention for a podium finish.
Lap 52, a four-car battle broke out between Feeney, Allen, Jayden Ojeda, and Murray - Allen looking cranky and impatient to get going.
On Lap 56, Waters was allegedly on fuel saving mode, the race ending in just twelve laps - yesterday's race many drivers needing to religiously save fuel before the chequered flag.
Amid chatter on the radio, it was confirmed that all the fuel out of the churn in the last stop was not utilised, causing major fuel save mode.
With four laps to go, Kostecki was pushing hard, surprising commentary altogether, meanwhile Le Brocq flicks some dirt onto the track after dropping a wheel at Turn 7 in the midst of a battle with Ojeda.
As the race came to a close, James Golding went down the inside of Jobe Stewart for seventeenth position, the racing action well and truly alive at the back of the pack.
The No.17 Shell V Power Mustang looks to still be on attack mode, Kostecki looking strong, while Waters was told to maximum fuel save, Mostert under two seconds behind for third.
Brodie Kostecki leads the pack to the chequered flag, an +8.078 second lead master class ahead of the field; celebrations broke out, burnouts in their full glory - Kostecki kissing the wall during a rather smoke-filled celebration in Townsville.
The 2026 Repco Supercars Championship head to Perth, Western Australia for the Perth Super 440 on the 31st of July.
Payne will continue to lead the Repco Sprint Cup by eight points ahead of Feeney as the field head over the country to Warneroo Raceway.
The Results
Brodie Kostecki
Matthew Payne
Cameron Waters
Chaz Mostert
Ryan Wood
Broc Feeney
Kai Allen
Will Brown
Jack Le Brocq
Jayden Ojeda
Thomas Randle
David Reynolds
Anton De Pasquale
Zach Bates
Rylan Gray
Jackson Walls
James Golding
Jobe Stewart
Cooper Murray
Cameron Hill
Declan Fraser
Aaron Seton
Reuben Goodall
DNF Andre Heimgartner
DNF Aaron Cameron
DNF Macauley Jones
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