Tough weekend at the Bathurst 1000 for Penrite Racing

The 2026 Repco Bathurst 1000 is complete, with a top-five finish for the #19 Penrite Mustang highlighting a strong recovery drive from Matt Payne and Will Davison.

Kai Allen and Tim Slade battled brake problems throughout the 161 laps in the #26 Penrite Mustang, with the control parts ultimately relegating them to 20th.

Despite the less than perfect results, the team kept its lead in both the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championships as the Repco Supercars Championship heads into its second-ever Finals Series in just a fortnight.

Recovery to fifth for Payne and Davison

In stark contrast to the dramatic conditions of Penrite Racing’s 2025 victory, this year’s race ran under sunny, warm skies and went a record amount of time without a safety car.

The long stretches of green-flag running made it harder for the team to recover from early setbacks. The #19 Penrite Mustang copped a five-second penalty for a driving infringement, followed by a drive-through penalty after an uncharacteristic error in pit lane.

The car was still fast, and Payne and Davison clawed back plenty of positions as the race unfolded, showing real promise for the Finals campaign ahead. It was a tale of what might have been for the pair, but even with a very late safety car, fifth was a strong result given the earlier penalties.

Brake woes for Allen and Slade

Allen and Slade began the day confidently on an alternate strategy, with Allen one of the few main-game drivers to start the race.

Their opening stints were strong and had the pair set for a podium charge and a tilt at the Enduro Cup, but brake problems derailed the rest of their day.

Extra brake changes and pit stops followed, ultimately costing them any chance of a significant points haul from 1000km of endurance racing.

Next up: Gold Coast 500

The team returns to Melbourne this week before a quick turnaround for the Gold Coast 500 on 23–25 October on the streets of Surfers Paradise.

Quotes

Brenton Grove – CEO Penrite Racing

It wasn’t our day, we had a lot of different things go wrong and it certainly tested us and our systems. We’re a very strong team, we’ll make sure we go back, debrief and come back stronger.

We have both (Drivers’ and Teams’) Championship leads still and some tracks where we’ve been fast in the past coming up next.

It hurts today, unfortunately it wasn’t our day but next year it will be.

Matt Payne – Driver #19 Ford Mustang

It’s one that could have been more. Naturally you think about what could have been without the 5 second and pit lane penalty but if you said to me at the start of the day we would finish 5th, I would take it. On a positive note, the #19 was absolutely unreal all day and Will did a really great job, even amongst the main game field.

Hopefully we can bring the trophy back home again next year.

Kai Allen – Driver #26 Ford Mustang

We started off really strong and we’re the fastest car on track, but then we had a brake issue occur which we battled a lot with for the rest of the race, and sadly ruined our day. Still finished and good to get those points but it just didn’t end the way we wanted.

Finals season now which I’m looking forward to so, time to go home, recover, and come back swinging at Gold Coast in two weeks.