Erebus Motorsport CEO Barry Ryan has been fined by Motorsport Australia Supercars Stewards after repeatedly swearing in his post-Race 18 television interview.
Ryan had been left angered after Shane van Gisbergen peppered the rear of Will Brown’s #9 Camaro on the final lap of Race 18 at the Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight.
He committed to taking up the matter with stewards, but that would prove unnecessary when a five-second penalty was issued soon after, although technically in-race for the purpose of the exercise.
The fine is $5000 although half is suspended until the end of the year, so long as the Erebus boss does not transgress again and performs community service.
“Following the Race, the Stewards summoned and heard from the Authorised Representative of Erebus Motorsport after the Authorised Representative was heard to swear repeatedly when interviewed by Supercars media in the team garage regarding an Incident which had occurred between Car 97 and Car 9 on the final lap of the Race,” read the stewards report.
“The interview was broadcast live on air.
“Following an admission to having engaged in conduct prejudicial to the Event and motorsport by so doing, the Stewards imposed a Fine of $5,000 of which $2,500 is suspended until 31 December 2023 on condition that the Authorised Representative engage in an activity of service to the motorsport community to be determined by the CEO of Motorsport Australia and on the further condition that no further breach of a similar nature is committed by a representative of the Competitor before that date.”
The stewards report also sheds some light into the decision-making process on the van Gisbergen penalty.
On that, it states, “The Stewards imposed a 5 second Time Penalty on Car 97 after Car 97 made repeated avoidable contact with the rear of Car 9 at turn 8 and gained an advantage as a result, Car 9 having been pushed off line.”
There was no punishment for Chaz Mostert, however, despite running over the edge of track limits at the exit of Brock’s 05 in the late-race battle involving him, Waters, Brown, and van Gisbergen.
Tickford requested an investigation but officials decided there was no advantage gained.
“At the request of Tickford Racing, an Incident at turn 5 in the closing laps of the Race when Car 25 went wide at turn 5 and re-entered the track ahead of Car 6,” read the stewards report.
“A review of broadcast footage showed that Car 25 was well ahead of Car 6 at the entry to turn 5 and thereby gained no advantage from failing to keep within the track limits at the exit of turn 5.”
In other matters, Todd Hazelwood served a drive-through penalty during the race as punishment for the Blanchard Racing Team dropping the #3 Mustang off its jacks with the refuelling hose still attached.
No further action was taken over Macauley Jones’ late-race spin at Turn 6 after officials decided he had not left racing room for Thomas Randle, who made contact with the Brad Jones Racing Camaro.
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