Ryan Wood apologetic, Matt Payne feared "aeroplane crash"
Payne forced to avoid Wood, who was returning from the pits
Payne qualified second, Wood 14th on Saturday at The Bend
Walkinshaw TWG Racing driver Ryan Wood has apologised for a hair-raising close call with Penrite Racing rival Matt Payne in Boost Mobile Qualifying.
Payne and Wood qualified second and 14th at The Bend Motorsport Park, but they got too close for comfort heading into the final runs.
Wood returned to the circuit as Payne and teammate Kai Allen commenced build laps before their timed efforts. Wood moved off the racing line, but the rapidly closing Payne was forced to avoid a collision.
Over team radio, a shocked Payne said: "Holy shit, I almost had an aeroplane crash."
The pit entry, which runs parallel to pit straight, has been policed all weekend. Notably, Scott Pye, Nick Percat, Jobe Stewart and Jayden Ojeda were all warned across the weekend's practice sessions for pit exit line crossing breaches.
Wood set the fastest first sector in the closing minute, but could only qualify 14th. Speaking afterwards, he claimed there were games being played by the Penrite Fords.
"Felt like I was on a decent lap, and then there was a bit of gamesmanship while I done my lap, with what happened out of the pit lane," Wood said.
"Sorry to those boys, but they know how hard it is when you're leaving the lane how to see, they were weaving and I can't see anyone when the cars are going in and out of the vision.
"That was all on me as well, so sorry to them, but I'm pretty sure they were on a build lap anyways. After that it was a bit of gamesmanship, but it's all fun and games."
Wood later apologised to Payne after the session.
Payne admitted the incident was "heart-stopping," but denied gamesmanship was in play.
"Both Kai and I were on our warming laps, come down the front straight and Ryan was coming out of the pits," Payne said.
"There's obviously the rule where you can cross the blend line in qualifying, because it should be safer.
"That was just a really timing of it. He obviously committed, I was obviously committing. At 250-something km/h, it's pretty heart-stopping, but we're okay, we got out of it."
When asked about Wood's gamesmanship comments, Payne replied: "We're all good here, we're all mates, he's talking ghost talk."
