Frustrating Day For GRM
16/8/2004 12:27 (Press Release) -
With little between the top 15 cars after Saturday's qualifying session, there was always going to be very little margin for error or misfortune in Sunday's two 140km races.
Hence when drive-thru penalties were the order of the day for the Repco Valvoline Cummins GRM team, overall results weren't going to be what they were hoping for.
Commencing from 11th (Tander) and 12th (McConville) positions on the starting grid, and with impressive speed from both cars in the morning warm-up session, things went according to script until Garth Tander's first scheduled pit stop, just short of half way through the race.
Tander completed the stop, however upon departing the GRM pit-stop-bay he failed to give way to Tasman Motorsport's Jason Richards who was making his way down pit lane. Only minor contact was made, however it was enough for race control to issue GT with a drive-thru penalty for failing to give way in pit lane. The penalty effectively ended GT's race, as he dropped to 25th position before recovering to finish in 21st position.
GT explained his version of the incident.
"The incident with Richards was unfortunate" he said.
"I was given the all-clear to pull out into pit-lane from in front of the garage and because you can't see anything behind you in that situation I didn't even know Richards was there.
"As I pulled out I just felt a whack and I knew straight away what the repercussions would be, as soon as you make contact in pit-lane you are in trouble" he explained.
Team boss Garry Rogers saw little point in disputing the penalty.
"The stewards made their decision on the drive-thru penalty for Garth, and we can whinge all we want about the validity of it, but it won't change anything" commented a frustrated Rogers.
"Whether it was a little severe or not, the decision was made so we had to just get on with it" he said.
It wasn't all bad news for GRM in race one, with Cam McConville driving a solid race to pilot his #33 Repco Valvoline Cummins VY into eighth position, continuing his run of top-ten finishes.
"I had a solid first race without doing anything startling" commented McConville.
"I was happy with the balance and consistency of the car in race one" he said.
Race two commenced disastrously for GRM with Cam McConville penalised for jumping the start, resulting in GRM's second drive-thru penalty for the day.
McConville was a little confused by the penalty, however accepted the decision of the stewards.
"Things went off the rails a little in race two, I didn't think I was rolling at the start, I must have eased the clutch out slightly and apparently I was rolling" McConville explained.
"It only matters what the stewards think and if they think you were rolling then it's an automatic jump-start penalty.
"It ruined the day really, I didn't gain any advantage off the start, in fact I lost two spots, but if I was rolling it's my mistake and I've payed the penalty" he said.
Despite the frustration, McConville, who finished the second race in 22nd position, pointed out the team can now look forward to the upcoming endurance races.
"It would have been nice for this to have been the fourth round in a row that we have run in the top ten" said McConville.
"Its disappointing but we still take some points from here and now we look to the enduro's" he said.
GT suffered left-rear tyre damage on the first corner and pitted shortly after the start of race two. The GRM pit crew changed the tyre and investigated the extent of the damage to the wheel, however it was deemed minor and GT was back out on the circuit, albeit a lap down.
"I had a really good start in race two and made up a heap of spots before someone drove into my left-rear wheel and I got a puncture" commented GT.
"Once I got going again we were at least a lap down, and what made it even more frustrating was the speed we had was very, very good.
"When we came back out we were right behind the leaders and were more than matching them for pace.
"All we could do was go back out and pick up some points because effectively my race was over on the first corner" he said.
GT eventually completed race two in 28th position.
GT drops down to eighth position in the Championship, while Cam moved up three spots from 18th to 15th position.
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