Q&A
(LT) Take us back to the start - how did your journey into motorsport begin?
“It was actually in go-karting at the age of five. Dad bought a kart and we just went out. It was very much a hobby at that point. I remember it so vividly - picking it up in Penrose, just an old Arrow kart. We didn’t even have a trailer, we just ran it on the back of the ute. The first time we were meant to go to the track it was wet, so we didn’t even go out. Pretty funny way to start, but very grassroots.”
(LT) You spent a long time in karting before stepping up - what did those years give you?
“I did karting for 13, 14, 15 years, which is quite a bit longer than most. Some of the later stuff, like KZ2 racing in Europe, was some of the best racing I’ve ever done. That was hard - moving away from home young and doing that. But that’s where I built a lot of the grit I’ve got now.”
(LT) How important was that step into the Toyota Racing Series?
“That was a really cool introduction to car racing for me. Racing at home, in front of friends and family, and having some good success - it made me want to push on and try to progress further.”
(LT) What triggered the move into Supercars, and how have you found that step up?
“Doing Super2 first was really important. You iron out mistakes, get a feel for it. But stepping into Supercars, the biggest thing is just the level. You can feel like you’ve done a really good lap and still be 20th. It’s pretty cutthroat. There’s no room for error.”
(LT) How would you describe your driving style?
“I’d say I’m on the aggressive side, but there’s a fine line. You’ve got to be calculated as well.”
(LT) What have been the standout moments so far?
“Bathurst is the big one. Everyone wants to win Bathurst, so to do that at a young age is pretty special. And then Taupō - getting two wins there in front of a home crowd. That’s something I wish I could relive over and over again.”
(LT) There’s a real sense of pride in that - where does that come from?
“I think it’s just the way I grew up. Being from the countryside, on the farm, pretty homegrown. And being Kiwi as well - we’re a small place but we go after big things.”
(LT) Who have been the influences along the way?
“I always really respected Denny Hulme. And I’ve grown up pretty close with Liam - we went to the same school together and have known each other for basically our whole lives. We karted together as well. I got into karting first, and then he kind of got a bit jealous that I was going out and having fun, so his dad went and got him one too. So yeah, I like to say I had a small part in kickstarting that.”
(LT) Do you still keep a close eye on Formula One and what’s happening at that level?
“Yeah, I watch it pretty much all the time. I look at what they’re trying to do with the new regulations - they’ve gone quite far with it in terms of creating different racing dynamics. As a driver, I can see how it could be pretty frustrating at times, but I think it’ll all come right. It’s the same with any new car or new concept - it takes time to get it where it needs to be.”
(LT) Do you look at Formula One and those global categories as something you’d want to be part of one day?
“I’ve always wanted to try and go international - Europe or America - and get to the pinnacle of the sport in some way. I’ve always been interested in endurance racing, NASCAR, all that sort of stuff. There’s a lot I’d love to do, it’s just about working through the right opportunities to get there.”
(LT) You’ve got a strong mindset, where does that come from for you?
“I think it’s the way I grew up. Being from the countryside, on the farm, pretty homegrown. And being Kiwi as well - we come from a small place but we go after big things. That doesn’t really stand in our way.”
(LT) Were the All Blacks a big influence growing up?
“You grow up watching the All Blacks and you feel like you can take on anything after watching them win. And then when you actually get into high-level sport, you start to understand what goes into that - the mindset, the preparation, all of it. It translates across any sport.”
It hasn’t been a straight line getting here. Karting for years, time spent racing overseas, then working his way up through the categories - it’s all added up over time. No shortcuts, just building it step by step.
So when Taupō comes up, it’s not framed as just another round on the calendar. It’s a place he’s already got a bit of history with.
(LT) What does it mean to you to be racing back home, especially somewhere like Taupō?
“It means everything. It’s the perfect setting. The track’s technical, but you look around and it’s just New Zealand. You’ve got the steam coming up, the mountain in the background - it doesn’t get more Kiwi than that.”
(LT) What’s your connection to Taupō as a place?
“Taupō was always somewhere you’d drive through going south. We used to stay in Tūrangi actually - my mum had a relative who owned a motor inn there, so we’d stop in each time. I hadn’t really spent much time in the town itself before racing there, which is funny.”
(LT) And what have you made of it now that you’ve experienced it properly?
“It’s such a cool place. It feels like a holiday spot, almost like a ski town with the mountain there. I always enjoy going there - being around the lake and the people. It’s really, really cool.”
(LT) How does it feel when the Kiwi crowd gets behind you?
“Getting wins anywhere is nice, but doing it in front of a Kiwi crowd… that’s different. There’s only a handful of us who’ve experienced that. It’s pretty special.”
(LT) Heading back this year, what does success look like for you?
“We’re at a point where anything less than a win, you still feel like you’ve got work to do. That’s the level we’re trying to race at. We were quick there last year, so I’m looking forward to going back and hopefully being right up there again.”
Taupō’s one of those places that doesn’t need much explaining. For Matthew Payne, it’s already been the backdrop to a couple of pretty special moments. He knows what it’s like when it all clicks there, with a home crowd behind him.
Now it’s about going back and doing it again. Simple as that - same track, same feeling, and another crack at checkered flag glory.
