CAPTURING THE SPEED AND CULTURE OF THE TRACK

Thrill in the ’Ville: Three Races, Three Winners and a Weekend of Supercars Action

There's something about street circuits that makes motorsport photography particularly exciting. The barriers are closer, the margins for error are smaller, and there's a real sense of intensity as drivers push their cars through streets that, for most of the year, are open to everyday traffic.

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The 2026 NTI Townsville 500 delivered exactly that.

For three days, the Reid Park Street Circuit in North Queensland became the centre of Australian motorsport, with the Repco Supercars Championship bringing its unmistakable combination of speed, noise and fierce competition to Townsville.

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It was my first opportunity to photograph Supercars in Townsville, and the circuit offered a refreshing change from the Formula 1 events I'd previously photographed in Melbourne and Las Vegas.

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The tropical North Queensland setting, palm trees, concrete barriers and contrasting colours of the Supercars created a distinctive environment. As a photographer, I was particularly interested in capturing the sense of speed and aggression these cars bring to a relatively confined street circuit.

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Unlike a permanent racing facility, Townsville combines sections of public roads with parkland, creating a demanding 13-corner layout where braking, tyre management and precision are critical.

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And the racing certainly delivered.Friday's opening 100-kilometre sprint provided one of the closest finishes of the weekend. Tickford Racing's Cam Waters held off a determined Brodie Kostecki by just two-tenths of a second, with Matthew Payne completing the podium.

Saturday brought a change of fortune for Payne, who controlled the first 200-kilometre race to claim victory. Behind him, Team 18's Anton De Pasquale produced one of the standout performances of the weekend, charging from 11th on the grid to finish second, while Kostecki secured another podium in third.

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Sunday belonged to Kostecki. After narrowly missing victory on Friday, the Dick Johnson Racing driver converted pole position into a commanding win in the final 200-kilometre race, ahead of Payne and Waters.

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Three races, three different winners, and a championship battle taking another significant turn, with Payne leaving Townsville holding a 92-point advantage over Broc Feeney.

From a photographic perspective, Townsville was about capturing more than the cars themselves. The aggressive kerbs, close barriers, changing light and crowded racing environment all contributed to the character of the images.

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I'm always looking for photographs that communicate movement and atmosphere rather than simply recording a car passing a particular corner. Supercars are especially rewarding subjects in that respect, with their weight transfer, aggressive stance and close racing providing plenty of opportunities for dynamic compositions.

One of the things I enjoy most about photographing motorsport is that no two circuits offer quite the same experience. Townsville reinforced that feeling.

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Beyond the results, the weekend showcased everything that makes Australian Supercars such an engaging category: competitive racing, passionate supporters and a circuit that demands respect.

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Three days in North Queensland provided another opportunity to build my motorsport portfolio, experiment with different photographic approaches and document one of Australia's most exciting street-racing events.

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Townsville certainly lived up to its reputation as the Thrill in the ’Ville.