The result of Round 2 of the Australian Manufacturers’ Championship from Sydney Motorsport Park in July remains under question with CXC Global Racing appealing the result of its protest hearing.
The Dylan Thomas/Stuart Kostera driven Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X was classified as a non-finisher in the three-hour race after Kostera pitted the leading car for a fuel top-up moments prior to the chequered flag flying.
The CXC Evo was then stopped from rejoining the circuit at the exit of the pits, with the timing subsequently adjusted to remove the lap it had recorded when crossing the control line in pitlane.
An appeal hearing took place at Queensland Raceway last weekend, where the team argued that it should have been classified as the winner “because it crossed the control line in pitlane when leading the race”.
The team also stated that it “ought to have been able to depart pit exit in order to allow the car to attempt to take the chequered flag”.
The team’s arguments, which included past cases in both the AMC and Formula 1, were dismissed by the Stewards.
“The Stewards do not accept that Pit lane forms part of the competition course for the purposes of determining the location of the ‘Finishing Line’…,” read the finding in part.
“…therefore crossing a control line in Pit Lane does not amount to crossing the final control line of a competition course.
“The alternative proposition, namely that Car #68A ought to have been allowed to re-enter the course from Pit Lane , calls for supposition by the Stewards that Car #68A would’ve crossed the finish line within the time allowed under the regulations; which the Stewards are not prepared to undertake.”
CXC Racing immediately filed a notice of intent to appeal and, despite a tough weekend at Queensland Raceway that has effectively ruled the team out of the championship fight, lodged its formal appeal on Tuesday.
“We are not happy with what was presented as the reasoning for the findings at the protest hearing and will be appealing the outcome,” Thomas told Speedcafe.com.
“We stated facts, regulations and previous cases and don’t believe that the argument against those was sufficient.”
The case will be heard at the CAMS appellate tribunal in CAMS’ Melbourne headquarters on a yet-to-be-determined date.
