It took just seconds before cars collided, Waters and Slade making heavy contact and both suffering damage while Kiwi Matt Payne also slid off the track on the first bend. Photo: EDGE Photographics
Kiwi Andre Heimgartner has claimed victory in wet conditions at the inaugural V8 Supercars championship round in Taupō, finishing just over a second ahead of Australian Will Davison.
Just the second win of his Supercars career, Heimgartner was closely followed by Chaz Mostert before his wheel came off on the 42nd lap, allowing the New Zealander to cruise to the flag.
The Brad Jones Racing driver told Sky Sport the conditions required some bold strategy.
"A bit speechless, I had Chaz all over me at the start and then I was hoping to drive a bit cooler but he was catching so fast so I had to just put caution to the wind, I was really pushing the last few laps and just had enough, so I'm over the moon, I can't believe it."
He said the rain worsened towards the end of the 60-lap race.
"It was quite slippery, especially when we went back out on the new tires, it really started raining, I was chopping and changing between gears and sliding through and I thought well if I'm having a few moments, no doubt they are too, but it was an amazing drive and I always love the wet, it's always good fun."
It was a dramatic start as a wet track caused chaos early on Photo: EDGE Photographics
It was a dramatic start as the wet track caused chaos early on with pole sitter Cam Waters and Tim Slade colliding just seconds after the start of the 60-lap race.
Kiwi Matt Payne also slid off the track on the first bend.
The damage saw Slade's race end there as his car was unable to continue.
"I'm super disappointed. The team has been awesome and car has been really good so you hate to see it end that way," he told Sky Sport.
Will Brown took an early ascendancy but after all cars went into pit after Bryce Fullwood spun out, Heimgartner took the front with Mostert on his tail.
Mostert remained right in the hunt until his tyre came off which gave Heimgartner a relatively comfortable win.
Anton De Pasquale came in third while Richie Stanaway made an impresive surge from 23rd to sixth
The final race of the weekend, the 60-lap Race 8, will start just after 3pm tomorrow.
Chaz Mostert was sitting close behind Heimgartner before his wheel came off on the 42nd lap, allowing the New Zealander to cruise to the flag. Photo: EDGE Photographics