Triple Eight, Matt Stone Racing hit with points penalties
Teams’ championship battle takes big swing in Bathurst
Triple Eight's deficit to Penrite blows out from 259 to 319
Triple Eight Race Engineering and Matt Stone Racing have been fined and penalised points over breaches at the Repco Bathurst 1000.
Both teams were penalised over identical infringements, regarding tyres, during Boost Mobile Qualifying.
For the infringements, each car was fined $1500 and 30 teams’ championship points. Triple Eight and MSR copped collective 60-point penalties and $3000 in fines.
The penalties blow Triple Eight’s deficit to Penrite Racing out from 259 to 319 points.
Triple Eight's #88 and #888 Fords, and MSR's #4 and #10 Chevrolets, had their control tyres moved into the team’s pit bay before the car came to a stop in its pit bay.
Per Rule D17.1.22.4: “From the commencement of any VCS qualifying Session, it will be permitted to move the next ongoing set of Control Tyres into the Teams’ Pit Bay.”
For Bathurst 1000, it reads: “From the commencement of any VCS qualifying Session, it will only be permitted to move the next ongoing set of Control Tyres into the Teams’ Pit Bay when the Car has come to a stop in its Pit Bay.”
Per the stewards reports, both teams’ representatives claimed they were unaware of the rule being amended in the Further Supplementary Regulations.
MSR rookie Zach Bates claimed a remarkable provisional pole, with Will Brown fourth for Triple Eight.
Supercars action resumes on Saturday with Practice 5 at 10:05am, followed by Practice 6 at 1:10pm AEDT.
