Hi to all you v8 Supercars fans around the world.
On the weekend of the 7th to the 9th of April 2017 was the Tyrepower Tasmaina Supersprint.
Race 3 was meant to be 50 laps, a total of 120 Kilometres. As you will read below, things don’t always go to plan.
Although humorous in some ways but also a possible omen for what was to come, when Russell Ingall took Lee Holdsworth’s car out for a hot lap he hit the wrong button and set off the fire extinguisher. He exclaimed over the comms ‘Oops!!! what did I press?’
The wet weather at the Symmons Plains track seemed manageable enough and the drivers took their places.
Scott McLaughlin started on pole position and alongside him was Chaz Mostert.
On lap 1 Chaz Mostert got the jump on Scott McLaughlin and led the race on the opening lap. Shane Van Gisbergen was following not far behind.
On lap 2 the wet weather appeared to be affecting drivers as they headed down the straight. It looked as though Rick Kelly and Fabian Coulthard made contact. Cam Waters then hit Garth Tander spinning him around. Mayhem ensued and cars just kept piling up into an incredible expensive mess!! The 12 car pileup involved Rick Kelly, Garth Tander, James Moffatt, James Courtney, Scott Pye, Nick Percat, Tim Slade, Tim Blanchard, Simona De Silvestro, Alex Rullo, Taz Douglas and Will Davison. When Will Davison crashed his ice box opened letting the ice out, which was not pleasant but lucky compared to others.
Will Davison ended up in hospital overnight and couldn’t race on Sunday.
The red flag came out and all the remaining drivers were told to go back to the grid and get in to their starting positions.
Meanwhile Scott McLaughlin went into the pit lane due to a break down in radio communication.
The officials tried to get race 3 back underway. Garry Rogers advice to call off the race on the basis of it starting to get dark went unheeded. Mark Skaife Suggested that they don’t restart and re run it on Sunday. The problem with that was the Support categories would have to be cancelled to allow race 3 to be re-run on the Sunday. An option deemed unacceptable.
When the cars did get going again they only completed 4 laps before the race was called off.
Most teams would have been burning the mid night oil trying to repair their damaged race cars in time for the race on the next day. Some just couldn’t be repaired in time and as a result four cars did not take part in Sunday’s race; Will Davison, James Courtney, Taz Douglas and Alex Rullo.
Race 3 was declared a ‘no race’ and no points were awarded. However, triple 8 still were listed with 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions at the finish.
Results for race 3
1st Shane Van Gisbergen – Red Bull Holden Racing Team.
2nd Jamie Whincup – Red bull Holden racing team.
3rd Craig Lowndes – Team Vortex.
In race 4 Jamie Whincup started on pole position and alongside him was Scott McLaughlin.
On lap 1 of 84 Jamie Whincup got the jump off the starting grid. Everyone settled into an even race pace and there was not much of a spread as the cars further back in the pack made ground on the leaders. Scott McLaughlin tried to pass Jamie Whincup at the turn 4 hairpin but didn’t get the acceleration out of the corner needed to take the lead. Chaz Mostert was running 3rd..
On lap 2 Mark Winterbottom was running along well before he had to pit so that Cameron Waters didn’t have to have double stack.
On lap 3 Jason Bright was screaming down the back straight until he spun near the pit entry which damaged the bonnet. The safety car had to be deployed to assist his removal from the pit lane entry.
On Lap 4 the cars further back were coming into pits early to get clear track and avoid having to double stack. Craig Lowndes didn’t have to worry about double stacking with teammate, Will Davison because he wasn’t in Sunday’s race due to the previous day’s multi car pileup.
On lap 5 Chaz Mostert was still running 3rd. Mark Winterbottom was trying to get passed his teammate Cameron Waters so he could take first option on the pits. Meanwhile Jamie Whincup was battling with Scott McLaughlin for the lead.
On lap 7 the safety car left the track and the race continued at full throttle. The wet weather got worse and at this stage the rain was pouring down. The Shell V Power Racing team called in both their cars, driven by Scott McLaughlin and Fabian Coulthard to change from slick tyres to wet tyres. Then all the other cars came into pits and changed to wet tyres. The 12 car pileup in the previous days’ race was strong in in everyone’s mind.
On lap 8 Tim Blanchard was trying his best to stay in front of Tim Slade so he wouldn’t have to double stack and gain pit priority. .
On lap 9 Simona De Silvestro was going to pit before Todd Kelly but he was leading so got pit priority.
The race was truly now underway. It was a great effort by the teams that were able to get their cars back on the race track for Sunday’s race.
On lap 13 Alex Rullo’s luck changed. He had been doing well after what happened the previous day, but an engine problem caused him to stop just outside the Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport Garage.
On lap 17 when Chaz Mostert took the race lead. Although he was doing well, he was really under pressure from Cameron Waters running in 2nd.
On lap 20 all the drivers were getting ready for their 2nd round of pit stops. The cars back in the field made their 2nd pit stops first while the front runners stayed out Longer.
On lap 21 the leaders pitted to not get in the way of the drivers that were a lap down.
In the middle of the race Chaz Mostert ran wide and ran off track losing 3 positions. At that point on the event TV coverage switch their view across to Tim Edwards, Chaz’s team owner showing his disappointment shaking his head in disbelief at the mistake Chaz made.
As the race continued it was the final laps were the tension really built up. The Dick Johnson Racing Team Cars were very fast and running first and second. Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes tried their best to catch them but just couldn’t. Scott McLaughlin and Fabian Coulthard were just too fast and finished in first and second place.
The next event is the WD 40 Phillip Island Supersprint on the 21st to the 23rd of April 2017.
Results for race 4.
1st Fabain Coulthard – Dick Johnson Racing – Shell V Power racing team.
2nd Scott McLaughlin – Dick Johnson Racing – Shell V Power Racing team.
3rd Jamie Whincup – Red Bull Holden Racing Team.
4th Craig Lowndes – Team Vortex