INDY PENALTIES - Off-track antics keep CAMS officialdom busy
18/10/2000 21:17 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) - The sheer number of dented panels in the V8 Supercar section of the Gold Coast Indy support paddock was no indication of poor driving standards over the weekend, according to CAMS.
Few penalties were handed-down for on-track driving incidents, but the off-track conduct of some drivers, two in particular, ensured a steady stream of drivers were paraded before CAMS officialdom over the weekend.
Contact on turn 10 between Greg Murphy and Mark Larkham in race one on Saturday morning required “considerable investigation” by CAMS stewards, only to find the incident was a genuine mistake by Murphy and no further action was required.
Brad Jones was given a “severe reprimand” after investigation into a race two, turn one incident involving himself and Paul Weel. Jones was found to have breeched careless driving regulations, but no monetary penalty was awarded.
Castrol Perkins’ Russell Ingall and Larry Perkins were both investigated for bizarre off-track incidents on Friday.
Ingall was alleged to have swerved into the course car while returning to the V8 Supercar paddock after Saturday’s qualifying session.
Stewards heard that Ingall was following slow vehicles while making his way back to the paddock and, in order to preserve his heated car, running in first gear, Ingall swerved around the vehicles (including the course car) and passed them closely.
Perkins withstood an inquiry into alleged unsafe driving, also while returning to the V8 paddock at the far end of the complex.
As a compromise to a “female television celebrity” after time constraints didn’t allow Perkins to take the women on a lap of the Surfers Paradise streets, the veteran racer drove her along part of the circuit back to the paddock, allowing his Commodore to “slide on a couple of corners.”
After lengthy investigations, both Perkins and Ingall were cleared of any charges.
John Faulkner and Anthony Tratt “forgot” to attend Wednesday’s drivers briefing, and were both fined $500. Mark Larkham was hauled before officials for arriving late at the briefing, but was not reprimanded.
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