Tander penalised for Courtney clash
Garth Tander has received a 15-second time penalty for his hit on James Courtney early in Saturday’s leg of the Watpac Townsville 400.
Courtney, who eventually crossed the line 18th, was turned around at Turn 2 on lap two while running 13th.
Tander took the flag 16th, but has been demoted to 21st due to the time penalty, which was applied after a post-race investigation.
“Following a post-race DRD (Deputy Race Director) investigation (involving a review of Judicial Camera footage from Cars #25, #33, #55 and #99 as well as Television Broadcast footage) and an admission of a breach of Schedule B2, Article 2.1 (Careless Driving), the Stewards imposed a 15 second post-race Time Penalty on Car #33, Garth Tander, for Race 17 of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship," read a stewards summary.
Tander had Anton De Pasquale down his inside when the incident occurred and, speaking immediately post-race, claimed he’d had nowhere to go.
“I couldn’t turn down because De Pasquale was there,” said the 2007 champion.
“He lunged me pretty hard and I had nowhere to go and just touched the back of James’ car and around he went.”
It was the latest in a series of incidents between the former champions, which at Winton included a “colourful” post-race confrontation after Courtney had spun Tander.
Courtney surmised after Saturday’s Townsville clash that the scorecard is now even.
“He was the last car I saw as I was spinning around,” Courtney said of Tander’s role in the incident.
“We’re all racing hard, I’m sure he didn’t meant it. I won’t go spraying him, but maybe we’re even now.”
No other penalties
The last-lap clash between Courtney and Jack Le Brocq that left the Tekno Autosports Holden heavily damaged was also investigated post-race, but drew no penalty.
Le Brocq had been attempting to pass Courtney on the right-hand-side between Turns 2 and 3 when the cars made contact, firing the rookie into the left-side concrete.
Contact between Simona De Silvestro and Todd Hazelwood that temporarily pulled the latter's right shoulder out of its socket was also deemed not to be wholly or predominately the fault of either driver.
Deputy Race Director Michael Masi also investigated an allegation that Cameron Waters passed Nick Percat under Safety Car, but found the overtake had been completed before the boards and flags were displayed.
