When a Darwin fan's stray flag decided a win

When you think of ways to lose a race, a fan’s flag blowing onto the circuit is as bizarre as it gets.

That was the fate that befell Steven Richards in 2008 at Hidden Valley Raceway, which will host next weekend’s betr Darwin Triple Crown.

Richards won the 2008 Darwin round, his first for Ford Performance Racing — now Tickford Racing — and first since 2008.

The 2008 Darwin round was the last held under the ‘round’ points system, and it featured three different winners.

If not for a stray Holden flag, it would have been two, with Richards winning the finale to win the round.

Richards, now a five-time Bathurst winner, led Race 2 of the weekend by nearly four seconds when cameras panned to a Holden flag at the exit of the final corner.

At the time, Garth Tander was second, with Race 1 winner Mark Winterbottom — Richards’ FPR teammate — third.

Richards bounces back to win Race 3

Winterbottom had had his fear share of bizarre luck in Supercars, none greater than what wiped him out in China in 2005.

While racing for Mark Larkham’s team, Winterbottom struck a drain, which damaged his Falcon and ruled out out for the weekend.

Little did we know at the time that it would prove the sole DNS in Winterbottom’s career, with the veteran bringing up 600 starts earlier this season.

Richards, who won the 2013 Bathurst 1000 with Winterbottom, was odds-on for his first FPR win since Surfers Paradise 2007 until luck reared its head.

The Safety Car was deployed, and on the restart, leader Richards struck trouble heading into Turn 1.

The drama forced Richards wide, opening the door for Tander to take the lead and the win — ironically, after a Holden flag brought the two cars together.

Richards later won Race 3 and with it, the round, having finished second in Races 1 and 2.

The Race 3 win was Richards’ only victory in 34 starts at Hidden Valley, having first raced in Darwin in 1999.

In fact, Richards had just two top three finishes to his name in Darwin in 27 starts heading to the 2008 round — and both came in 2004.

Could more bizarre drama rear its head when Supercars races in the Top End?

Found out at next weekend’s betr Darwin Triple Crown. Tickets are on sale now.