WAU has been fined $2500 for connecting Ryan Wood’s refuelling head to Chaz Mostert’s car during the latter’s second pit stop of the race.
Mostert was running fifth when he had to pit for a third time due to the error and ultimately finished 11th, now out of mathematical title contention ahead of the Adelaide 500 finale.
WAU team principal Carl Faux explained post-race that no fuel had gone into Mostert’s car from the Wood fuel rig.
“It was a simple mistake from the refueller picking up the wrong refuelling head and connecting car #2’s refuelling head to car #25,” Faux told Speedcafe.
“The guys behind in the garage had car #25’s dead man (a handle that allows fuel to flow) open so no fuel got into car #25.
“That’s why we just ran it until it was out of fuel before bringing him back in to put the fuel in that he needed to finish the race.
“It was a double whammy on our part. It really cost us. We knew straight away as the car left the lane what had happened.”
It was another missed opportunity for Mostert and WAU after a gear position sensor failure cruelled their chances of a podium on Saturday.
PremiAir meanwhile has been docked 30 teams’ championship points and fined $1500 for dropping James Golding’s car from its jacks without a right-rear wheel fitted.
That mistake occurred in Golding’s first pit stop of the race – which took place just 10 laps in due to a puncture – and left him to fight home in 13th place.
It added to Golding’s Saturday race frustration, where a bungled wheel change also cost him a shot at a strong result.
“We have had a bit of a rough weekend, I think I ran over a black cat or something as they say, we just really struggled out there and didn’t have anything go our way really,” he said.
“In today’s race I had a puncture and had to pit early and do two really long stints.
“We managed to come back to 13th, but same as yesterday – with the pit issue and then the cool suit fail – it was an unlucky run for a really tough weekend.”
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