Both Blanchard Racing Team Fords spun out at Beach Chicane in Race 31
James Golding tripped over Turn 10 kerb, crashed into barriers
Aaron Cameron largely avoided barriers in own incident
The Blanchard Racing Team wasn't far off spending a big night fixing two busted Ford Mustangs, as the Gold Coast barriers looked favourably on James Golding and Aaron Cameron.
Saturday's Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 opener ran without Safety Car intervention after a wet start, but Golding and Cameron both tried their best to change that.
Both BRT Mustangs came to grief at the Beach Chicane in separate incidents, Golding coming off worse after spinning his #7 Dayco Ford into the tyre barriers. Cameron spun, but stayed off the walls, save for a gentle nudge with the rear of his car.
Golding was also penalised for tipping PremiAir Racing recruit Cooper Murray into a spin on what was the final lap of the race, right in front of leader Chaz Mostert.
On a day both BRT Fords were fast, the team had nothing to show for it — but Golding revealed he could have thrown it away much sooner, such was the standing water in the opening laps.
"I was sideways before I knew it, and hoping I kept going," said Golding — who finished 13th — in a team video.
“Before that point it was, it was awesome. Got an awesome start. It was super sketchy at the start, like down the main straight, it was literally like there was white paint on the windscreen.
"I could barely see the walls. And like, two laps in a row, nearly hit the wall just going straight, just because I didn't know where I was.
“Add aquaplaning into that as well. Like, everything's all good and then you're just sideways straightaway. So I'm glad to be alive.”
Cameron survived his spin and kept fighting his rivals, but a drive-through penalty over a breach — in which the refuelling tower was refilled during the race, which is not permitted — consigned him to 20th.
“Didn't deliver myself today. I made a small mistake through the chicane there," Cameron said.
"Lucky not to write the thing off, that's the only positive. Somehow we were still racing some guys at the end. We're gonna drive through for an infringement there as well.
“Not a good day for us all round, but jeez, we've got some fast cars. So thanks to all the crew, thanks to all the sponsors, and we'll get there eventually."
The final day of the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 begins with Boost Mobile Qualifying at 11:20am local time/12:20pm AEDT.
