Supercars’ Ford rivals Cameron Waters and Matthew Payne came together in a dramatic race-ending crash on Saturday – ending both their races and sparking a heated confrontation.
Payne started Saturday’s third race of the Melbourne SuperSprint on pole for the first time in his career. But the talented youngster lost the lead on the run to turn one as Waters’ Monster Energy Mustang got a hot start.
Payne retook the lead in his Penrite Mustang on the second lap with a nice move on the inside at turn 11.
But as Waters – in a brand-new Tickford car for this weekend – tried to hit back and regain the lead, he got into the back of his rival at turn 13.
The nose-to-tail contact forced Payne to run deep, before he moved across the track, trying to set himself up for Turn 14 – but the pair came together side-by-side and both ended up in the wall.
The incident reportedly saw them strike the wall at 34G, but fortunately neither was injured.
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“That’s ridiculous,” said Mark Skaife in commentary for Fox Sports.
Neil Crompton added: “That was awkward in the extreme.”
A furious Waters leapt out of his car and marched over to Payne – who had not had time to get out of his own vehicle – opening up his Payne’s passenger-side door before engaging in a heated exchange of words.
“He’s cranky,” Crompton said.
“There’s going to be a bit of chat here.”
Waters then slammed the door shut and tramped back to the pits as a safety car was called.
The incident meant Broc Feeney inherited the lead and he went on to beat Triple Eight teammate Will Brown to victory ahead of Cameron Waters in third.
Meanwhile neither driver was penalised, with stewards calling it a racing incident where both had been partially at fault – Waters for running into the rear on the previous corner, before Payne crossed the racing line.
Still fuming over the incident in the pits, Waters told Fox Sports: “I was going to try and get him back into Turn 12 and it didn’t happen.
“In [turn] 13 he choked it up and I got into the back of him and got under him and, yeah, I was trying to set him up for the last corner and he’s just come across.
“I don’t know if he didn’t see I was there, but if he didn’t see I was there it’s pretty bad spatial awareness.
“[It is] really bad. A brand-new car put in the wall. His thing has got damage as well. It’s just shit, mate.”
Payne conceded he wasn’t aware that Waters was coming alongside.
“Just trying to race pretty fairly, I thought,” he said.
“I didn’t think there was any need to head me off in the second to last corner.
“I was trying to open up the last corner to give myself the best opportunity to get a good run onto the straight and he (Waters) was there.
“I didn’t even know he was there so it’s unfortunate.”
Both cars suffered heavy damage but were able to be repaired in time for Sunday’s final sprint race of the weekend – where the two started from second and third on the grid.
Fox Sports reported that the pair shook hands on Sunday morning before the race.
And Payne was again caught in a dramatic off-track on Sunday when leading the race.
Starting second on the grid, he got a rapid take-off from the line and surged into the lead.
On lap four, Chaz Mostert – who had started on pole – made a misjudgement under braking, locking up and slamming into the back of Payne. The pair tore across the grass.
Just like the day before, the top two had been taken out of contention after an incident!
Mostert earned a five-second time penalty for the incident.
But Payne’s day would only get worse from there.
The very next lap, he was spun onto the grass after being hit by Bryce Fullwood. As he tried to turn his car around and regain the track, he dropped all the way to 22nd.
Again, he had been an unwitting participant in the chaos – once again not at fault, with Fullwood copping a five-second time penalty.
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