There wasn’t a title fight to speak of. But it was still a thrilling conclusion to the 2024 Supercars season.
Race control had its hands full throughout the race with eight incidents that required punishment, and two that didn’t.
The first one that didn’t came right at the start, after Triple Eight requested an investigation into Chaz Mostert taking the lead from polesitter Broc Feeney at the first corner.
The accusation was that Mostert cut the Turn 2 kerb, however an investigation revealed that Feeney wasn’t left enough racing room to avoid the cut.
Not long after the race went yellow after Matt Payne ended up in the Turn 11 wall after a hip and shoulder from Nick Percat.
Race control didn’t deem it Percat’s fault, though, based on the following reasoning.
“Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards determined that Car 10 moved to overtake Car 19 on the inside at Turn 11,” read the stewards report.
“Car 10 had considerable overlap on Car 19 but Car 19 left insufficient racing room for Car 10 on the inside. As a consequence, Car 10 had no option but to use the inside kerb which meant its trajectory out of Turn 11 was towards Car 19.
“Notwithstanding, Car 10 left racing room for Car 19 on the exit but the rear wheels of Cars 10 and 19 interlocked and that interlock caused the Driver of Car 19 to lose control and a collision with the barrier resulted. There was no evidence of any breach of the Rules by the Driver of Car 10.”
PAYNE STUCK IN THE FENCE!
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Now onto the penalties.
Brodie Kostecki and his tangle with eventual winner Will Brown drew a 15-second penalty for the reigning champion.
“Car 87 had a compromised exit out of Turn 6 after Car 87 was overtaken by Car 88 on the inside,” read the stewards report.
“Out of Turn 6, Car 87 moved to the middle of the track to defend but maintained that line. Car 87 was ahead of Car 1 at the entry to Turn 7. Car 1 attempted to overtake Car 87 on the inside and contact occurred when Car 87 turned-in on the racing line.
“The Stewards determined that Car 1 had insufficient overlap on Car 87 at the turn-in point and Car 1 was predominantly to blame for the collision.”
CHAOS 🤯🤯🤯
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Cam Waters then copped a 15-second penalty for contact with Cooper Murray.
“Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards determined that Car 6 attempted to overtake Car 9 at the entry to Turn 9. Car 6 had no overlap on Car 9 at the point at which Car 9 turned-in on the racing line. In the Stewards’ determination, Car 6 was wholly to blame for the collision.”
Anton De Pasquale was the next driver to have a 15-second penalty after turning Ryan Wood around.
“Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards determined that Car 11 attempted to overtake Car 2 at the entry to Turn 9. Car 2 was ahead of Car 11 but taking a wide entry than the Car ahead of Car 2, Car 20.
“Car 11 moved into a gap to the right of Car 2 but had insufficient overlap when Car 2 turned-in for Turn 9 and contact occurred. In the Stewards’ determination, Car 11 was wholly to blame for the collision.”
In what is his last race as a full-time Supercars drivers, at least for now, Mark Winterbottom was penalised 15 seconds for contact on another retiring driver in Tim Slade.
“Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards determined that Car 18 was following immediately behind Car 23 out of Turn 6 and on the approach to Turn 7.
“As Car 23 turned-in for Turn 7, Car 18 collided with the rear of Car 23 causing it to spin. In the Stewards’ determination, Car 11 was wholly to blame for the incident.”
CRUCIAL RACE DEFINING MOMENT 😱
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— Supercars (@supercars) November 17, 2024
Feeney would cop two crucial 15-second penalties late in the race, starting with his unsafe release.
“Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards determined that the incident was wholly attributable to the misjudgement of the Team in releasing Car 88 into the path of Car 25.”
The other was hitting Mostert at Turn 6.
“Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards determined that at the entry to Turn 6, Car 88 attempted to overtake Car 25 on the inside.
“The contact occurred when Car 25 turned-in for Turn 6. The Stewards determined that Car 88 had insufficient overlap on Car 25 and the Driver of Car 88 was wholly to blame for the incident.”
WHAT IS GOING ON!?
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— Supercars (@supercars) November 17, 2024
Aaron Love was penalised five seconds for hitting solo main game debutant Kai Allen.
“Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards determined that Cars 3 was following closely behind Car 26 into Turn 9 and the Driver of Car 3 collided with the rear of Car 26 in the braking zone.
“The Stewards determined that the Driver of Car 3 was wholly to blame for the incident.”
Wood, after his early tangle with De Pasquale, was penalised for contact at Turn 14 with the same driver later in the race.
“Having considered the matter extensively, the Stewards determined that the incident was caused wholly by the Driver of Car 2.”
