'I saw a gap': Wood not backing down over Feeney battle
Ryan Wood not backing down over Broc Feeney battle in Adelaide
Feeney penalised after contact with Feeney on lap 1 in season finale
Engine issue denied Feeney as Wood's teammate Chaz Mostert won title
Ryan Wood has defended his role in the lap 1 incident with Broc Feeney, claiming his rival “crowded” him after he “saw a gap.”
Sunday’s bp Adelaide Grand Final finale exploded into life at Turn 6, when a collision sent then championship leader Feeney into a spin.
Wood was awarded a 15-second penalty, while Feeney was forced to fight through the field.
An engine issue ultimately ruined Feeney’s hopes, while Wood’s Walkinshaw Andretti United teammate Chaz Mostert went on to win the championship.
“Obviously, apologies to Broc, because I know he’s worked so hard this year and his whole career. I hate to see that happened and be in the middle of something,” Wood said on the broadcast.
“I saw a gap and went for it and got crowded down, and [contact] obviously happened.
"I think 50% of people are going to agree and 50% are not.”
Stewards said Wood was predominantly to blame, the report saying: "The vision showed Car 2 attempting an inside overtake on Car 88 at Turn 6 on Lap 1. Car 2 attempted to force his Car through on the inside of Car 88. At the point when Car 88 turned in for Turn 6, Car 2 had insufficient overlap on Car 88 to be entitled to space on the inside. A collision occurred and Car 88 spun and lost multiple positions.”
Wood insisted Feeney crowded him towards the wall, continuing: “I got to watch the vision and I definitely had a car inside and got crowded down to the wall and obviously that’s where the contact occurred.
“I thought that he would know I was going to race hard.”
Feeney made an aggressive pass on Wood stick on Saturday, and raced away to victory. Wood claimed he was “pretty fair” and that he "didn’t really crowd him down, and obviously still ran off the track."
On Sunday, Wood wanted to return the favour amid fears Feeney would bolt away, and insisted he was “here to win."
“I’m obviously upset because it ruined my race and I just feel like I’ve probably hurt our weekend as a whole on my side,” Wood said.
“Obviously gutted that I got involved in something like that, but I just thought as soon as I saw the gap open, I was like, ‘this is my opportunity’ because yesterday he ran away from me when he got in front of me.
“I was here to win the race today and I feel like I gave myself the best opportunity to go that going for the gap on lap 1.”
