Penalty costs Courtney Race 4 Supercars podium

James Courtney has dropped from a second place finish to 22nd in Race 4 at the Beaurepaires Melbourne SuperSprint due to a post-race penalty.

The Tickford Racing driver followed only Erebus Motorsport’s Brodie Kostecki across the finish line but has now had 30 seconds added to his race time as punishment for his part in a first-corner incident.

Courtney was adjudged to have triggered the incident which ultimately saw David Reynolds become stranded in the gravel trap, with stewards finding he pushed team-mate Cameron Waters into the Grove Racing Mustang.

“Following a post-race investigation for the incident at Turn 1 on the first lap and admission to breach of Schedule B2 Article 2.1.1 – Careless Driving by Car 5 James Courtney, determined Car 5 initiated the contact to Car 6, resulting in Car 6 making contact with Car 26 David Reynolds coming to a stop in the gravel trap, loosing [sic] multiple positions, the Stewards imposed a thirty (30) second time penalty on Car 5,” read the stewards report.

While the 30-second penalty is standard, the effect was ballooned by the fact that Race 4 of the Repco Supercars Championship finished under Safety Car, and hence the field was tightly bunched.

Shane van Gisbergen is now officially the runner-up and his Triple Eight Race Engineering team-mate Broc Feeney moves onto the podium.

A little further back, PremiAir Racing’s James Golding lost a top 10 due to a post-race penalty of his own.

He took the chequered flag in 10th position but has now been classified 21st due to a 15-second penalty as a result of an unsafe release which impeded Brad Jones Racing’s Jack Smith.

“Following a post-race investigation and admission to a Pit Lane breach – unsafe release of Car 31 James Golding, impeded Car 4 Jack Smith, the Stewards impose a Fifteen (15) second time penalty to Car 31,” read the stewards report on that matter.

Reynolds remains 23rd in the classification, having qualified sixth but gone on to finish a lap down after Car #26 was dragged out of the gravel trap.

Results: Race 4, Beaurepaires Melbourne SuperSprint Updated

Fastest lap (no bonus): Scott Pye, 1:48.1818, Lap 6

Drivers’ championship Updated

Teams’ championship Updated