Verdict delivered after Whincup, Winterbottom clash

Jamie Whincup will not be penalised for his tangle with Mark Winterbottom in today's opening race at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide.

A post-race investigation took place after an attempted pass from Whincup on Winterbottom at turn five on lap 45 of 78 resulted in the Ford being turned around.

Deputy Race Director Michael Masi deemed that neither driver was wholly or predominately to blame after considering evidence from the drivers and Driving Standards Advisor Craig Baird.

Speaking to Supercars.com post-race, Whincup had been adamant that he had done nothing wrong in the passing move, while Winterbottom believed he had left enough room for his rival to make a clean pass.

CLICK HERE for more from the drivers following the incident.

Penalties have meanwhile been handed down by the Stewards following investigations into two other infractions.

Brad Jones Racing has been fined $10,000 ($7,500 of which is suspended until the end of the year) and docked 96 teams’ championship points after failing to install a card in the judicial camera inside Nick Percat’s Clipsal Holden.

Percat finished the race seventh despite mid-race contact with team-mate Tim Slade that dispatched the Freightliner Holden into the turn six tyre wall.

Todd Kelly has meanwhile been docked 35 drivers’ championship points after admitting to reckless driving that led to Will Davison’s opening lap crash at turn eight.

Davison was knocked into the outside wall at the sweeper after a three-wide squeeze involving Kelly and James Moffat.