DJR hit with penalties over rule breaches

The Shell V-Power Racing Team has been issued with dual penalties over separate pit lane incidents, which occurred during Saturday's action at the NTI Townsville 500.

Brodie Kostecki and Will Davison finished fifth and 13th in Saturday's race, which was won by championship leader Broc Feeney.

Kostecki, who won Friday's sprint race, managed to come home in the top five despite a scare at his second and final compulsory pit stop.

At the conclusion of the stop, the #38 Shell V-Power Ford was dropped and Kostecki began moving before the right rear wheel gun had been disconnected from the wheel nut.

The crew member on the wheel remonstrated at the time over the incident, and the team has since been fined $1500 and docked 30 teams' championship points.

Per Rule D11.7.3, "Each Car must be completely free of all hoses, tools, Team Members and any other equipment at any time whilst the Car is moving."

The Ford squad remains fifth in the standings despite the points penalty, but copped a second $1500 fine for an earlier transgression.

Per a stewards report, a Dick Johnson Racing team member "crossed the fast lane when prohibited to do so," per Rule D3.3.4, which states: "Team members are not permitted to cross the fast lane between the time that the Pit Exit opens at the start of the reconnaissance lap until the last Car as advised over RMC has passed that Team’s Pit Bay."

There were five penalties awarded to drivers during the race; notably, reigning champion Will Brown was pinged five seconds over careless driving, after hitting Davison at Turn 2.

Andre Heimgartner was penalised to the tune of 15 seconds for unfairly gaining advantage, having moved Cameron Hill at Turn 11. Hill himself was also awarded a five-second penalty for an unsafe release, dropping from 12th to 15th, while Cam Waters was also slapped with a five-second penalty for impeding Kai Allen in pit lane.

The biggest time penalty was awarded to Macauley Jones, who was slapped with a 25-second time penalty for speeding in pit lane, dropping him from 17th to 20th. Jones was recorded at 45km/h, with the pit lane speed strictly 40km/h.

Supercars action resumes on Saturday with Boost Mobile Qualifying at 10:05am AEST, followed by the Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout at 12:05pm. The final race of the weekend, Race 22, commences at 3:00pm.

Foxtel/Kayo's Saturday coverage commences at 8:00am AEST, with the Seven Network taking live coverage from 12:00pm. Please check local guides.