Supercars News: Kai Allen wins Christchurch’s first Supercars race
Twenty-year-old Kai Allen (pictured) became the first driver in Supercars history to win a race on New Zealand’s South Island, delivering a strategic masterclass and ice-cool defence to secure his maiden championship victory in Race 10 of the ITM Christchurch Super 440 at Ruapuna Raceway.
The Mount Gambier native, racing for Penrite Racing (Grove Racing), took the checkered flag in just his 48th Supercars start — becoming the 89th different winner in ATCC/Supercars history. Starting fourth on the grid, Allen produced the drive of his young career in the #26 Ford Mustang, holding off a determined late charge from championship leader Brodie Kostecki to win by just 0.7423 seconds. Ryan Wood completed the podium in third, 1.1857 seconds behind the winner.
The race was defined by a bold pit strategy. Allen was the first of the front-runners to stop on Lap 17, opting for a two-tyre change on the rears only. The undercut proved decisive. While most leaders took four fresh tyres around Laps 20-22, Allen emerged with a handy lead once the cycle shook out. He then showed remarkable maturity under maximum pressure, fending off Kostecki through the final 10 laps as the Shell V-Power Ford closed rapidly.
Chaos on the opening lap
The 37-lap, 120 km race got off to a dramatic and confusing start. Within the first 100 meters, a three-car clash on the front straight involving Macauley Jones (#96), Cameron Hill (#14) and David Reynolds (#500) sent cars scattering. Reynolds, competing in his landmark 500th Supercars start, was eliminated on the spot along with Hill. The incident triggered yellow flags at Turn 4 from some marshals, even though no Safety Car was deployed, causing confusion and bunching in the mid-pack while the leaders pulled clear.
Top-10 Results: 2026 ITM Christchurch Super 440 – 37 Laps
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Behind |
| 1 | 26 | Kai Allen | Penrite Racing (Grove) | Ford | 37 laps |
| 2 | 17 | Brodie Kostecki | DJR (Shell V-Power) | Ford | +0.7423s |
| 3 | 2 | Ryan Wood | Walkinshaw (Mobil1 Truck Assist) | Toyota | +1.1857s |
| 4 | 19 | Matt Payne | Grove Racing | Ford | +3.0449s |
| 5 | 18 | Anton De Pasquale | Team 18 (DEWALT) | Chevrolet | +20.2665s |
| 6 | 7 | James Golding | Brad Jones Racing (BRT) | Ford | +25.8604s |
| 7 | 6 | Cam Waters | Tickford Racing (Monster Castrol) | Ford | +26.4002s |
| 8 | 1 | Chaz Mostert | Walkinshaw (Mobil1 Optus) | Toyota | +26.6079s |
| 9 | 10 | Zach Bates | Matt Stone Racing (Bendix) | Chevrolet | +33.2740s |
| 10 | 88 | Broc Feeney | Triple Eight (Red Bull Ampol) | Ford | +38.9848s |
Kostecki’s second place extends his Repco Supercars Championship lead to 55 points over Broc Feeney. In the six-race Jason Richards Memorial Trophy battle (contested across the Taupō and Christchurch events), Ryan Wood has extended his advantage to 40 points over Kostecki at the halfway mark.
Allen’s breakthrough win — greeted by a vocal Friday crowd at the brand-new South Island venue — marks a huge moment for the young gun and Grove Racing. It also caps a memorable day as Supercars made its historic debut on New Zealand’s South Island.