Supercars Townsville: Cam Waters wins race one by a narrow margin

Cam Waters led a Ford Mustang parade to win the first of three Supercars races on the Reid Park street circuit in Townsville, Queensland, on July 9, 2026. Waters and Dick Johnson Racing’s Brodie Kostecki entered the final tour of the 35-lap race neck-and-neck, but Kostecki, who had been making a late charge, fell just short of the victory. Kostecki had started from pole position for the fifth time this season but lost positions at the start; however, he quickly reclaimed his speed and settled into second behind Waters before the pitstop sequence began.

Waters pitted on lap 18, while Kostecki stayed out for another six laps, allowing Waters to stretch his lead. When Kostecki resumed, it was Matt Payne of Grove Racing who held second position. After passing Payne, Waters ultimately took the checkered flag just 0.200 seconds ahead of Kostecki.

"Brodie got a bad start, but I was keen to get to Turn 2 first," Waters stated. "I was a little shocked to take P1. I managed that last lap knowing he was behind me, and I’m glad there wasn’t one more lap—it's nice to be at the front."

Kostecki noted that his decision to pit was influenced by observing Waters enter the pit lane. "I thought I didn't want to pit behind Cam. We’re looking pretty good for tomorrow," he mentioned, reflecting on his race strategy. "I had a big dive down the last corner, but Cam is a smart racer."

Matt Payne finished third, his 11th podium of the season, despite experiencing a vibration issue with his car during the race. "It didn’t get worse, and I managed to finish. We need a bit more speed," he remarked. “I was really hoping Kostecki could apply pressure on Waters; it would have made for a good battle."

Kai Allen, Payne’s teammate, took fourth after conceding a position during the pit stops, while Chaz Mostert finished fifth. Mostert's Walkinshaw TWG Supra had a minor engine issue during qualifying but was the fastest of the Toyotas.

Thomas Randle secured sixth place for Tickford Racing, a noteworthy performance given that he lost a significant portion of practice due to a technical problem. He successfully navigated the race, keeping out of trouble for all 35 laps. Meanwhile, both Triple Eight drivers struggled on Friday, with Broc Feeney qualifying 16th and Will Brown 19th—marking the first time in three years that any of their cars had failed to make it into the top 15. However, during the race, Brown impressively charged through to finish seventh, while Feeney managed to secure 10th.

With these results, Payne has now taken the series lead, while Grove Racing claimed the teams’ point lead. Two additional 200 km races are scheduled, one each on Saturday and Sunday, to complete the Supercars’ mid-winter northern swing.