Matt Payne was punted while leading both the Saturday and Sunday races at Albert Park, although Cam Waters was clearly angry with the part which the Penrite Mustang driver played in their demise in the former.
Grove Racing owner Stephen Grove said, “The positive note from the weekend is the car has a lot of speed. The negative is the driving standards are pretty bad.”
“Both Matty Payne and [team-mate] Richie Stanaway performed well but the outcome on the weekend was unfortunately taken out of their hands.”
Stewards opted for no further action on the Payne-Waters crash in Race 5 of the season because, they determined, both drivers contributed to their downfalls, although it was noted that Waters started the incident with his bump into the rear of the #19 Mustang.
Grove Team Principal David Cauchi told Speedcafe on Saturday evening that Waters “got what he deserved” although Tickford counterpart and co-owner Rod Nash indicated in comments post-event that he felt differently.
“Cam Waters was strong on the weekend and the incident with the Grove car was a bone of contention,” said Nash.
“But it is what it is and the car will now have to be completely stripped and rebuilt for New Zealand.”
Walkinshaw Andretti United’s two drivers were collectively involved in at least four hits, with Chaz Mostert being nudged wide by Matt Stone Racing’s Nick Percat in Thursday’s Race 3 then copping exhaust damage in contact with Erebus Motorsport’s Todd Hazelwood in Friday’s Race 4.
In Race 6 on Sunday morning, it was Mostert who locked up and punted Payne out of first place at the flip-flop before rookie team-mate Ryan Wood unloaded the other MSR entry of Cameron Hill in a separate incident at Turn 6.
Mostert was apologetic for his error in Race 6 but, on Wood’s collision, WAU’s press release pointedly stated, “Ryan was racing for 8th on the last lap when a nose to tail contact from front to rear all down the line somehow resulted in the Mobil 1 Truck Assist Racing No. 2 getting a 30 second time penalty, despite the largest penalty of the weekend being 15 seconds.”
WAU Team Principal Carl Faux said, via separate communications, “The racing was a bit frenzied with some crazy moves over the weekend, but it was entertaining for the fans.”
Hill was a little less upbeat, saying, “When it’s not your weekend it’s not your weekend.
“I got punted off in three out of four races. I was running eighth in the last one, which would have been the best result of the weekend and to have it taken away by some average driving was obviously disappointing.
“A few guys out there probably need to practice using their brakes.”
The carnage did produce at least one moment of amusement when Grove sponsor Ned Whisky issued an open letter to Waters after the first Payne incident, offering free Australia-wide shipping with the discount code “SALTYCAM”.
The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship continues at the ITM Taupo Super400 on April 19-21.
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