Tickford Racing has been penalised teams’ championship points and fined for the manner in which Jake Kostecki was released from his pit bay in Supercars Championship Race 27 at Pukekohe.
The #56 Tradie Mustang was not only released into the path of James Courtney’s sister #5 entry after what had thought to have been the completion of service, but also lost a rear wheel in the process.
Stewards have relieved the #55/#56 Tickford pairing of 30 teams’ championship points and fined the squad $1500.
“On Lap 7 of the Race the rear left wheel of Car 56, Jake Kostecki, was seen on broadcast footage to have fallen off Car 56 when it was dropped in its Pit Bay to be released from its Pit Stop,” read the stewards report.
“The wheel rolled across the fast lane coming to rest against the pit wall.
“Another Car from the same team, Car 5, James Courtney, was baulked from entering the same Pit Bay and as a result Car 99, Brodie Kostecki, which was behind Car 5 was impeded.
“Car 56 attempted to continue down the Pit Lane on 3 wheels and stopped.
“The Team, Tickford Racing, having admitted that the Car Controller breached Rule D11.2.3 by releasing Car 56 in an unsafe condition (for which the Team is responsible under Rule A4.4), the Stewards imposed a Penalty of a Fine in the sum of $1500 and Loss of 30 Teams Championship Points.”
Tickford’s second ‘team’ maintains 10th in the championship, noting four-car teams are split in two for the purpose of that title, but is now just two points ahead of PremiAir Racing.
Both Shell V-Power Racing Team drivers have been fined, $350 each, after exceeding the 40km/h pit lane speed limit by 9km/h during Practice 2.
Will Davison would go on to win Race 27 while Anton De Pasquale finished sixth.
While sanctions were expected due to Race Control’s messages on timing during the session, theirs have not been the only speeding offences so far this weekend, nor anywhere near the biggest.
Andre Heimgartner’s R&J Batteries ZB Commodore was clocked at 63km/h in Practice 1, with the Brad Jones Racing driver fined $750.
Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Nick Percat was relieved of $250 for being caught 5km/h above the speed limit in his Mobil 1 NTI ZB Commodore in an event ride session later that Friday.
No further action was taken over the messy Turn 1 incident which ultimately took Tim Slade out of Race 27, with stewards deeming no driver wholly or predominantly to blame.
“…contact occurred between Car 3, Tim Slade, and Car 5, James Courtney, as a result of which Car 3 sustained suspension damage and was unable to continue in the Race and Car 5 sustained panel and tyre damage,” stewards noted.
“A review of broadcast footage revealed that Cars 31 [James Golding], 2 [Percat], 5 and 3 were in a row of 4 Cars approaching Turn 1, with Car 31 on the inside and Car 3 on the outside.
“There was insufficient space for all 4 Cars through Turn 1 and as a result contact occurred.
“No Driver was considered to be wholly or predominantly to blame for the Incident and for that reason it was not referred to the Stewards.”
Brodie Kostecki had already had a 15-second penalty applied to his result for not having the speed limiter activated the whole time he was in pit lane during Race 27.
The #99 Boost Mobile ZB Commodore took the chequered flag in 13th but was officially classified 20th, last of those on the lead lap.
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