Payne and Tander win Bathurst after five-second penalty to Golding

Matt Payne and Garth Tander were declared winners of the Bathurst 1000 on Sunday at Mount Panorama after race officials applied a five-second time penalty to James Golding, who crossed the line first. Payne and Tander, driving a Grove Racing Ford Mustang, began the 161-lap endurance race 18th on the grid and were promoted to first on the official results amid torrential rain, low cloud, multiple crashes and seven safety car periods that produced a chaotic finale to Australia’s flagship touring car event.

The race featured repeated lead changes as conditions deteriorated. Young New Zealander Ryan Wood led for a significant stretch before Golding overtook him with 33 laps remaining; Wood later retired with engine failure. Cooper Murray briefly led after the sixth safety car. Payne moved into second after the seventh safety car with 17 laps to go and inherited the advantage when Golding made contact with Murray on the run up the mountain with five laps remaining. Race officials judged the move warranted a five-second penalty, elevating Payne to first and moving David Reynolds, driving a Chevrolet Camaro, to second. Golding and teammate David Russell were classified third.