WAU confirms cause of loose Mostert wheel
Chaz Mostert classified 22nd after losing wheel
Mostert was chasing eventual winner Andre Heimgartner at the time
WAU rookie Ryan Wood impressed with fourth on Saturday
A cross-threaded wheel nut in the pit stop was behind the loose wheel that cost Chaz Mostert a potential podium in Taupō.
The Walkinshaw Andretti United star was fighting for the effective race lead with eventual winner Andre Heimgartner when he slowed with a loose right rear wheel.
The wheel eventually came loose between Turns 4 and 5, and hit the #25 Mobil 1 Optus Ford as Mostert rounded turn 5.
Mostert managed to return the car, on three wheels, to pit lane, where the team refitted another wheel to the Mustang.
The two-time Bathurst winner finished 22nd and one lap down, dropping crucial ground to points leader Will Brown where Mostert otherwise would’ve slashed the deficit in half, and moved to second in the championship given Broc Feeney's troubled run to 21st.
With Brown crossing the line ninth, Mostert could have closed the margin from 97 to 37 points. Instead, Mostert heads into Sunday’s action 142 points down.
In post-race team communications, Mostert hailed having a "really good car" but conceded the loose wheel was a "bit of a kick in the guts."
However, WAU remained delighted with the speed in both cars, with rookie Ryan Wood a standout in Saturday’s race with fourth, the Kiwi’s best Supercars result.
“It wasn’t fitted properly — he got the wheel on, done it up with the wheel nut, but unfortunately it cross-threaded to a certain degree,” veteran WAU Team Manager Anthony McDonald told Supercars.com.
“The wheel locked up, so he thought it was home. But the wheel clips weren’t there to hold the wheel nut on.
“We’re quick, which is great. But, it's just disappointing when you throw away a podium, which you don’t get every weekend.
“But both cars are fast, both drivers were great yesterday, we’re pretty happy and pumped for today."
Supercars will return to the track on Sunday with Boost Mobile Qualifying at 8:45am AEST/10:45am NZST, followed by the Top Ten Shootout at 10:25am AEST/12:25pm NZST.
The final race of the weekend, the 60-lap Race 8, will start at 1:05pm AEST/3:05pm NZST.
