HRT admit no wrong: We're the good guys!
13/11/2000 3:14 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) - The Holden Racing Team has denied spoiling Craig Lowndes’ planned Adelaide party, claiming reports that suggested the team had denied the V8 Supercar star the opportunity to compete as misleading.
In a statement released on Friday evening, HRT claim an administrative bungle is to blame for Lowndes’ forced withdrawal from the “Race of a Thousand Years” on the streets of Adelaide next month, and not a direct decision by the team to exclude him from the event.
The Factory-backed Supercar force came under severe attack from all sides after Le Mans race organisers issued a statement suggesting a back-down by HRT in not allowing Lowndes an absence of leave to compete in the race. HRT described such reports as “extremely disappointing.”
Lowndes recently announced a divorce from the team that took him to three V8 Supercar Championships, citing irreconcilable differences. However, despite the obvious bad blood between the two, HRT insist this has nothing to do with Lowndes’ withdrawal.
“HRT advised that when Craig Lowndes first raised this with the team three months ago, he was informed that there were certain protocols that needed to be observed before consent could be given,” the statement explained.
The protocols in question require that permission from the team for Lowndes to race in outside ventures was necessary for consent to be granted. Despite repeated attempts to warn Prancing Horse Racing (the party organising Panoz's down-under excursion) of this, no request for leave was made.
“So that there should be no doubt about it, HRT caused a letter to be forwarded to Prancing Horse Racing (the manager of the Panoz car) on 31 August, 2000 pointing out that the permission of HRT was necessary before Craig could drive in the Adelaide event and that consent had not been given to that date,” the statement said.
With no reply forthcoming, a second letter was delivered to the Melbourne headquarters of the Prancing Horse operation two weeks after the first. This letter also received no response.
A third and final letter was sent outlining the, “terms upon which HRT would release Craig Lowndes” but again, no reply was received.
“The Holden Racing Team has done everything to attempt to facilitate a discussion whereby terms upon which Craig could compete in the Adelaide race could be agreed and despite three letters, no reply has been forthcoming,” the statement said. “It is staggering therefore to now hear claims that HRT has refused to let Craig drive in Adelaide.”
Lowndes’ contract with the Holden Racing Team expires on New Year’s Eve, the same day on which the Adelaide leg of the American Le Mans Series will be raced.
“HRT simply asks that it be given the courtesy of an approach with specific terms in order for it to consider what is in the best interests of HRT, the driver and the particular promoter concerned,” the statement said.
Prancing Horse Racing are yet to respond to HRT’s claims.
“HRT will not accept being the convenient scapegoat when responsible parties don't exercise due care in signing drivers and then find themselves in embarrassing predicaments,” their statement said.
Race organisers still hold some hope in cutting through the red tape and getting the Supercar star on the Adelaide grid. However, considering the ill-feeling between all parties, this now seems unlikely.
Lowndes or no Lowndes, Mark Noske will be joined by replacement, K-Mart racer Greg Murphy, in the Panoz machine when the inaugural Adelaide sports car showdown gets the green light on the last day of 2000.
| |
