Matt Payne will start the opening race at Sandown from pole position after producing a stunning lap in a chaotic Top Ten Shootout on Saturday.
Having topped the timesheets in the second phase of qualifying, Payne was the final driver to hit the track in the shootout, clocking a 1:09.025 to secure pole position.
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He will lead Cam Waters, Brodie Kostecki, Will Brown and Broc Feeney, who round out the top five on the grid.
Eight of the past 12 winners at Sandown have started from pole position, putting championship leader Payne in a strong position to extend his advantage over Feeney and Kostecki.
However, it was far from a straightforward morning for the drivers, with wet conditions causing plenty of problems throughout qualifying.
In the opening phase, teams were left trying to work out which tyres would be best suited to the tricky conditions, with both Kai Allen and Chaz Mostert running off the track at Turn 2.
Standing water through the opening corners made life difficult for the drivers, with several struggling to keep their cars on the racing line.
All eyes then turned to the seven championship finalists heading into the second phase of qualifying, with every one of them safely progressing through the opening session.
And all seven continued their strong showing, booking a place in the Top Ten Shootout.
But with just one flying lap to get the job done, the shootout brought even more drama as drivers battled the slippery conditions.
Mostert was once again caught out, running off the track and losing valuable time on his flying lap.
The mistake proved costly for the former champion, who will start the opening race from 10th on the grid.
For Payne, however, it was the perfect start to a massive weekend at Sandown, with the championship leader now in prime position to strengthen his grip on the title race.
STARTING GRID: RACE 33, 2026 PENRITE OIL SANDOWN 500
1st – Matt Payne
2nd – Cam Waters
3rd – Brodie Kostecki
4th – Will Brown
5th – Broc Feeney
6th – Cooper Murray
7th – Thomas Randle
8th – Anton De Pasquale
9th – Andre Heimgartner
10th – Chaz Mostert
11th – Zach Bates
12th – Ryan Wood
13th – Aaron Cameron
14th – James Golding
15th – Jayden Ojeda
16th – Jack Le Brocq
17th – Jobe Stewart
18th – Jackson Walls
19th – Jarrod Hughes
20th – Macauley Jones
21st – Rylan Gray
22nd – David Reynolds
23rd – Cameron Hill
24th – Kai Allen
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