Feeney Triumphs at Sandown as Waters and Payne Collide in Chaotic Supercars Semi-Final
A dramatic finale at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500 saw Broc Feeney seize victory in a chaotic Sunday showdown, while both Matt Payne and Cam Waters saw their championship dreams evaporate in a collision that reshaped the outcome of the Finals.
Credit: Samuel Densley Photograghy
Feeney, driving for Triple Eight Race Engineering, mastered the tricky transition from dry to wet conditions and back again, maintaining composure when many faltered. His win snapped a three-month drought and secured his position at the top of the Finals standings heading into the Grand Final in Adelaide.
The clash that knocked Payne and Waters out of contention unfolded with 31 laps remaining. Initially, Payne made a bold move past Waters for fourth at Turn 1, only for Waters to charge back down the inside at Turn 4, leading to contact. Waters picked up a puncture and a broken shock absorber, while Payne suffered steering damage and was forced into the pits. Both drivers were eliminated from the four-man Grand Final field as a result.
Credit: Samuel Densley Photograghy
Waters’ weekend had already been compromised: after Saturday’s race he started the day outside the transfer positions and desperately needed a strong result — something that was not to be. Analysts note that despite the late drama, his pace throughout the weekend was below par compared to the leading contenders.
Payne, in contrast, had entered the race well placed to advance and with realistic hopes of forcing his way into the championship fight. Instead, the wheel-to-wheel clash not only cost him the result but handed the final spot in the Grand Final to rookie teammate Kai Allen.
Meanwhile, Will Brown produced yet another determined recovery drive, climbing from the back of the grid to secure a podium finish and cement his place in the final four.
Credit: Samuel Densley Photograghy
Thus, the Grand Final field is set: Feeney, Brown, Chaz Mostert and Allen will contest the championship showdown in Adelaide. For Payne and Waters, what might have been slipped away in one collision — a fittingly dramatic conclusion to a Finals weekend defined by tension, precision, and heartbreak.