Madison Dunston’s SuperUte has gone off-site for repairs after a crash in the opening practice session at the Watpac Townsville 400.
Dunston found the wall at Turn 9 during Practice 1 in damp conditions at the wheel of her Peters Motorsport Holden Colorado, returning to the paddock on the back of a flat-bed truck with right-side damage.
Car #11 will be taken out of the Townsville street circuit precinct to a local panel beater, missing Practice 2 at 1140 AEST with the hope that it will return to the track for Armor All Qualifying at 1520 AEST.
That is dependent on if there is enough of a gap between on-track sessions for the team to get the car back across the track and into the SuperUtes paddock which is located on the inside of the circuit.
Team manager Brett Peters explained that the lower control arm had been ripped out of the ute’s chassis.
“The most serious damage is it’s ripped the lower control arm out of the chassis,” Peters told Speedcafe.com.
“It’s got to go off-site to a panel beater, which they’re very kindly letting us get it out after the Porsches (Carrera Cup practice session).”
Ryal Harris was quickest in the nine-car field, heading Ben Walsh by almost six tenths.