Cam Waters secured his first victory of the season in Race 17 of the 2026 Supercars Championship in Darwin.
After failing to reach the top step in over a season and a half, Waters was back on top. The Monster Castrol Racing driver held off Kai Allen and Matt Payne in a dramatic ending. An early pitstop from polesitter Brodie Kostecki left his struggling off the podium, while Championship leader Broc Feeney had a day to forget in Darwin.
Kostecki overcomes illness to claim Pole
Brodie Kostecki claimed pole position for Race 17 at Hidden Valley after topping a dramatic Friday qualifying session. The former champion overcame illness to secure his fourth pole of the 2026 season. The Shell V-Power Racing Team driver led Anton De Pasquale and Cam Waters. After a strong performance in Tasmania, Championship leader Broc Feeney suffered a shock Q1 elimination and will start Race 17 from 13th.
The session was also marked by a bizarre clash between Ryan Wood and Kai Allen at the final corner during Q2 as both drivers prepared for their final runs. Despite the contact, Wood and Allen recovered to qualify sixth and seventh respectively, setting up an intriguing opening race of the Darwin Triple Crown.
Lights Out on Race 17
It was lights out on the halfway point in the season and it was Brodie Kostecki who charged into the lead. Heading down the infamous main straight, the field was tight as Cam Waters passed Anton De Pasquale for second. With no incidents in the opening few laps, it was Matt Payne who joined the battle for the podium down in fourth.
With half a second separating the top four, it was Waters who pushed for the race lead. Further back, Feeney had called down to 14th, the championship leader struggling for pace on the straight. Ryan Wood pulled the trigger early, pitting for two fresh right side tires on Lap 6. De Pasquale pitted one lap later, before Kostecki pulled in on Lap 8. However, it was Waters who gained the race lead as De Pasquale closed in on the pole sitter.
As the temperatures shifted, it was Waters and Payne who were on track for an overcut. Chaz Mostert closed in on Will Brown, while Kai Allen closed in on Penrite teammate Payne. With his tyres up to speed, Kostecki began to close the gap on the net lead.
Pit stops proved crucial at halfway
Feeney’s day went from bad to worse, after pitting for four fresh tyres, his Red Bull Mustang locked up into the opening corner, seeing him down behind Aaron Cameron. With 15 laps to go Waters pulled into the lane, however the Monster Mustang had to settle for second behind Kostecki. A slow pit stop left Payne down into eighth, while Allen, who pitted one lap earlier was up into sixth.
On Lap 22, it was Waters who dived down the inside of Turn 1, sealing the race lead. The later pitstops proved crucial, as Allen passed Wood for fourth. Feeney had moved himself up to 16th, while both Penrite’s closed in on De Pasquale.
Sprint for the Flag
With less than ten laps to go, it was Allen and Payne who pulled the trigger on De Pasquale heading into Turn 1. With an all Mustang top four, the pressure was on for Kostecki as Allen came within 1.8 seconds. Out front, Waters created a three second gap to the field.
With four laps to go, Allen was on the bumper of the Shell V Power Mustang. David Reynolds was send plummeting down the field after a spin from Jack Le Brocq. Allen and Payne were charging, completing their second double overtake of the race, passing Kostecki at Turn 1.
Waters charge for victory was not secured. With three laps to go, the Safety Car was called. Lasting two laps, it was a one lap dash for the flag. As the green flags flew, Waters was able to hold onto his lead as Allen ran out of overtaking options. Behind, Payne managed to hang onto third ahead of Kostecki.
As the checkered flag of Race 17 flew, Waters secured his first victory of the season. Penrite secured another double podium. Behind Kostecki, Brown moved himself into fifth. De Pasquale and Mostert had to settle for sixth and seventh, while Wood slotted into eighth. Jayden Ojeda and Macauley Jones held off the field to round out the top ten. Championship leader Feeney was forced to settle for 14th as the title fight continues into the rest of the weekend.
Final Supercars Race 17 classification and results from Darwin
- Waters
- Allen
- Payne
- Kostecki
- Brown
- De Pasquale
- Mostert
- Wood
- Ojeda
- Jones
- Heimgartner
- Hill
- Murray
- Feeney
- Randle
- Bates
- Cameron
- Golding
- Stewart
- Fraser
- Gray
- Walls
- Reynolds
- Le Brocq
The Supercars Championship will return to Darwin tomorrow for Race 18, with Qualifying occurring at 10:45am before the 70 Lap race at 3:20pm
