Payne, Waters cars in overnight repairs

Payne’s #19 Grove Racing entry and Waters’ #6 Tickford Racing car both ended Race 5 of the season in the wall after a clash while battling for the lead on Lap 2.

Grove Team Principal David Cauchi told Speedcafe, “It’s not too bad; a little bit of mostly rear bodywork, so the guys and girls will fix it up tonight and we can’t wait to start off the front row again tomorrow.

“Late enough, later than we’d like, but it’s not so bad,” he added of when repairs should finish.

At Tickford, the welders will be out on what started the weekend as a brand-new car (shakedown aside) given the front-end damage on #6 was not isolated to the clip, with work estimated to continue until around 02:00.

“Unfortunately, it’s plucked the two rearward bars from the middle from part of the node, just behind where the clip bolts on,” Team Manager Matty Roberts told Speedcafe.

“They’re completely detached, damaged, bent… Obviously, the total loss of the left-front corner.”

Waters was clearly incensed by the incident, opening the passenger door of Car #19 to vent at Payne before the Kiwi had even clambered out.

Cauchi, though, said the Tickford driver “got what he deserved.”

His summary of the clash was, “Matt was in the lead and Matt got hit from behind by the car he passed a few corners ago and then they crashed.

“So, I think it was pretty clear that, when you get hit like that from behind, there was no need for it.

“So, the guy got what he deserved.”

Officials, though, decided on no further action, with stewards “deem[ing] that each driver … contributed to the incident where neither driver have been classified as a Finisher.”

Roberts said, “I’ve only seen the trackside footage, so it’s a racing incident, obviously.

“Payne was going for it and one thing led to another and they sort of banged wheels on the exit of [Turn] 13.

“Unfortunately, it looks like we’ve connected wheels and we’ve gone into the wall, so it’s a bit unfortunate for both of them.

“A racing incident, really, at the end of the day.”

Tickford’s other entry, the #55 Mustang of Thomas Randle, was last classified finisher in 22nd after breaking a gear lever linkage for the second time this weekend.

“We’re not sure why it’s broken the linkage; we’ll have to get to the bottom of that and find the root cause,” said Roberts.

“Unfortunately, it’s the second one that’s broken on us this weekend.

“We haven’t changed anything, there’s nothing new in there [in spec]; obviously, all control parts there.”

Payne and Waters are set to start second and third respectively in tomorrow’s final race of the Melbourne SuperSprint.