PremiAir Camaro driver James Golding actually crossed the finish line ahead of Payne, but a five-second penalty meant he was relegated to third.
It was Ford’s first win at Bathurst since 2019.
David Reynolds and Lee Holdsworth finished second (6:52:15.897) in their Tradie Energy Camaro, with Golding (6:52:18.977) claiming the last position on the podium.
On a day of carnage, series leader Broc Feeney, defending champion Brodie Kostecki and two-time Bathurst winner Chaz Mostert suffered setbacks to finish with the also-rans.
Golding held the lead for several laps, as did Kiwi Ryan Wood, who was eyeing victory before his Walkinshaw-Andretti Ford broke down with 22 laps remaining.
Todd Hazelwood in pole position heads for the first corner in Sunday’s Bathurst 1000.Credit: Getty Images
Payne briefly slid off the track with nine laps left but regained control and capitalised on his lucky reprieve.
Commentators compared the race to the infamous 1992 edition, which was abandoned 18 laps early when race officials determined that torrential rain had made it too dangerous to continue.
After a bright, sunny start to Sunday, rain started falling about halfway through the race and immediately transformed the 6.213-kilometre track into an ice rink.
The wet caused logistical issues for pit crews, in particular if and when to change from slicks to wet-weather tyres, and left drivers with little margin for error.
It soon started getting ugly.
Feeney parked the front of his Red Bull-Ampol Camaro under a sponsor’s sign at Forrest’s Elbow and needed a tow to untangle it. He eventually finished sixth.
“Unfortunately he was pushing too hard on cold tyres,” team principal Jamie Whincup said of Feeney. “It’s easy to do.”
Defending series champion Will Brown ploughed his Red Bull Camaro into a concrete barrier and somehow continued back to the pits with his dislodged bonnet hanging over the windscreen.
Will Davidson parked his Shell V-Power Ford on the fence at Forrest’s Elbow.
Cam McLeod, in the Supaglass Chevrolet, spun around and ended up facing the wall. He was lucky not to cause a multi-car pile-up.
Tony D’Alberto’s Mustang heads to the panel beaters.Credit: Getty Images
Then defending champion Kostecki slipped off the road, allowing Cam Waters to pass him and grab the lead.
Kostecki’s hopes of retaining his Bathurst 1000 crown were cruelled by a double setback more than halfway into the great race.
His Dick Johnson Racing Mustang had an issue with the alternator and was slowly losing voltage. Adding to his woes, he rear-ended Penrite’s Kai Allen on lap 99, damaged both cars, and copped a time penalty. He limped home in 18th.
DJR’s other car, driven by Tony D’Alberto, collected the wall at Forrest’s Elbow and was soon on a truck, heading to the panel beaters.
Meanwhile, Tickford Racing performed rudimentary running repairs to Mark Winterbottom’s car, using a reciprocating saw to remove a dented front panel that was scraping on the front right wheel. The extended pit stop caused the popular veteran to slip down the field, but at least he was still in the game.
Chaz Mostert needed a beer after his Mustang broke down mid race.Credit: Getty Images
Two-time Bathurst champion Chaz Mostert and Fabian Coulthard retired on lap 57 after battling engine failure.
As he trudged back towards pit lane, a fan came and offered him a beer, which Mostert cracked without hesitation to start drowning his sorrows.
The De Walt Camaro of Anton De Pasquale also wobbled back to the finish line early after crashing into a concrete barrier.
Supercheap Autos Camaro driver Zach Bates found himself in the “kitty litter” twice in the space of two laps but was able to continue each time.
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