Randle loses maiden Super2 win due to multiple breaches

Thomas Randle’s Dunlop Super2 Series race win in Townsville has been handed to Bryce Fullwood after the former committed two Safety Car restart breaches.

Randle led almost all the way in the 21-lap opener to Round 3 of the season having split the front row when the lights went out, and would therefore have become a first-time Super2 race winner.

However, he was found to have accelerated when yellow flags were still being displayed at both restarts.

On the first occasion, necessitated due to the multiple-car incident at the second corner of the race, Randle pulled a small gap at the control line.

On the second occasion, he powered the #5 Tickford FGX Falcon away from the field exiting the second-last corner of the circuit, causing the field to bunch up when some appeared to have initially followed his cue.

For each breach, Randle had 25 seconds added to his race time, turning a win of almost a second into a 13th position, the last of the classified finishers.

“Following a review of HawkEye vision, review of Judicial Camera Footage from Car #5 and #55, the advice of the Driving Standards Advisor and an admission by the Driver of Car #5, the Race Director found that Car #5 was in breach of the Safety Car restart procedure on Lap 3. (Car #5 was observed accelerating away from the field when Yellow Flags were still being displayed), The Stewards imposed a Post‐Race Pit Lane Penalty (25 Seconds) added to the Race Time of Car #5 for Race 1,” read the stewards summary regarding the first restart.

“Following a review of HawkEye vision, review of Judicial Camera Footage from Car #5 and #55, the advice of the Driving Standards Advisor and an admission by the Driver of Car #5, the Race Director found that Car #5 was in breach of the Safety Car restart procedure on Lap 17. (Car #5 was observed accelerating away from the field when Yellow Flags were still being displayed), The Stewards imposed a Post‐Race Pit Lane Penalty (25 Seconds) added to the Race Time of Car #5 for Race 1.”

There had been conjecture during the race regarding the first incident about whether Randle had weaved with the Safety Car lights out or even whether it had been incorrectly reported on the timing screen, and was in fact a question of whether or not he had started outside his grid box.

The stewards summary therefore not only answers that question, but also exonerates of wrongdoing others who were lured into an early jump by Randle at the second restart, most obviously Brenton Grove.

The compression of the field saw Tim Blanchard challenge Fullwood for what was third position at the time but the series leader saw off the returnee and profited when Armor All Pole-sitter Kurt Kostecki made an error at Turn 2 in the moments which followed.

Officially, Fullwood picks up a third race win of the season in his MW Motorsport Altima, from Triple Eight’s Kurt Kostecki (Car #55) and Brad Jones Racing’s Blanchard.

Fullwood’s advantage in the standings is now 94 points over team-mate Zane Goddard, who inherited fourth position in the race, while Randle drops from third to fifth as a result of the reclassification.

The other matters, namely Dylan O’Keeffe’s reckless driving and Jake Kostecki’s false start, were decided in-race.

Armor All Qualifying for Race 2 starts tomorrow at 1005 local time/AEST.

Results: Race 1

Series points