Bathurst shootout cancellation A bonus for Kiwis
Kiwi Matt Payne’s car will start on the front row of today’s race, with Fabian Coulthard and the car of Greg Murphy and Richie Stanaway just behind. reports.
The top 10 shootout at the Bathurst 1000 had to be cancelled yesterday because of heavy rain. One of the biggest spectacles of the weekend was deemed too dangerous to go ahead as the rain that had been falling for most of the weekend reached its heaviest in the afternoon.
That led to the cancellation of a Porsche and Super2 race and with no let-up, question marks started to be asked about the shootout.
The main issue was water running down the mountain at Conrod Straight, causing cars to aquaplane through The Chase.
Officials inspected the circuit around 25 minutes before the shootout was supposed to begin.
There was extra attention paid to Murrays Corner, the last on the circuit, as this was where puddles were at their biggest and it’s a spot where the drivers have to brake heavily and make a sharp left turn.
With the shootout cancelled, positions from Friday’s qualifying are used, which means Cam Waters and James Moffat will start on pole position. Lee Holdsworth or 19-year-old Kiwi Matt Payne will also be on the front row, depending on who gets to start in the car.
Chaz Mostert and Fabian Coulthard, along with Greg Murphy and Richie Stanaway, make up the second row.
Shane van Gisbergen was the fourth fastest in Friday’s qualifying, but was given a three-place grid penalty for colliding with Macauley Jones in the session, so will start seventh.
Murphy said he believes officials made the right call.
‘‘I personally think so, from a perspective of someone who doesn’t want to see cars wrecked,’’ he said.
‘‘I find it difficult to see how you can drive out there with the amount of water flowing, not standing, but flowing across the race track.’’
The decision turned out to be a bonus for the team at car No 51 as it’s unheard of for a wildcard entrant to start the great race on the second row, which has happened with Stanaway’s stunning qualifying session.
‘‘I thought it was possible for Richie to be able to do what he did in the wet or dry, because I have a lot of confidence in this car and Erebus have proven they’re fast here,’’ Murphy said.
‘‘It was always possible that
we’d have a competitive car and that played out.
‘‘So I’m not surprised we’re there, but what it does do is terrify me for the morning.’’
Grid positions over a 1000km race don’t mean too much, but starting fourth instead of 24th does make a difference.
‘‘If you’re 24th you’re at the back of the pack and it makes your day pretty hard,’’ Murphy said.
‘‘It does mean I have to get my s… together in the morning if I am starting, because if that’s the case, I have to do something with it.’’
The conditions are expected to be better today and while the circuit could be wet when the race starts, it should dry out over the six hours of battle.
A number of drivers had the grid positions of their cars determined on Friday as they didn’t make it to the shootout.
Andre Heimgartner’s car will start the race in 12th position on the grid, Chris Pither’s car 22nd and Jaxon Evans 27th.
Evans was 22nd fastest in yesterday’s opening practice session, which was for co-drivers only, and said he’s continually learning.
‘‘It was my first time at a wet Bathurst in a Supercar, so there was a lot going on and a lot to process,’’ Evans said.
‘‘But I got comfortable pretty quickly and we were running through a few changes and things to help me get a bit more
‘I’m not surprised we’re there, but what it does do is terrify me for the morning.’ GREG MURPHY
comfortable.
‘‘There are no trophies for practice and I’m fairly happy hanging my ego up for a session.
‘‘There’s no point going out there and damaging the car. It’s that risk versus reward and building up to it appropriately.’’
It won’t be known until shortly before the race begins, at 1.15pm NZ time, if it will be primary or co-drivers doing the opening laps around Mt Panorama in each car.