Onlookers held their breath on lap 39 as Hazelwood hurtled into the high-speed Turn 6 with a right-front tyre going flat following a brush with Jamie Whincup at the previous corner.
Hazelwood – co-driver to Brodie Kostecki – speared straight ahead but was able to retain control across the tarmac run-off area and only endure a glancing blow with the outside wall.
It was in stark contrast to the outcome of an incident for Hazelwood at the same corner on debut in the Sandown 500 back in 2017.
On that occasion, contact from Jonathon Webb sent Hazelwood spinning across the grass and into the tyre barrier, resulting in a wild series of flips.
Turn 6 was the scene of several other famous incidents, some of which were the result of flat tyres, before the run-off was sealed in 2019.
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“All things considered it was probably lucky to get away with that puncture there. It’s the worst place in the world to get a puncture going into Turn 6,” said Hazelwood of his narrow escape.
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“I felt like it wasn’t quite right, it had a little wiggle, tried to feel it and thought it felt OK, and as soon as I got on the brake pedal I was in a world of hurt.
“It’s never nice. I’ve got bad memories obviously of Turn 6 from a few years ago, not that you try to think about that as a driver, but fortunately they’ve made the safety improvements to that corner there.
“It’s probably the difference between me being stoved under a tyre wall and being able to press on in the race there.
“We’ll take that, but super-frustrating at the same time. We’ve got a super fast car, she’s an absolute rocket. Brodie is behind the wheel now and hopefully he can finish the job.
“All things considered we should be fighting in the top three there and we’re not, so I’m a little bit disappointed.”
The unscheduled pitstop dropped Hazelwood towards the rear of the field, with their charge also later hampered by a 15-second time penalty for a pitstop infringement.
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