R9S PENALTIES - Murphy to fight 'careless' charge
29/8/2001 18:12 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) -
K-Mart Racing’s Greg Murphy is maintaining his innocence after CAMS officials found him liable for the pitlane accident at Oran Park Raceway last month, and will fight the charge on appeal tomorrow.
Two CAT Racing crew members were hospitalised when pit equipment become tangled with Murphy’s Commodore on exiting pitlane during the Sunday morning warm-up at Oran Park, collecting both men.
After an extensive investigation, stewards found Murphy exited pitlane “without reasonable care, whilst having knowledge that the CAT Racing team were moving around in their pit bay” and was fined $5000.
Further, the findings stated Murphy had positioned his car further forward than usual, despite knowledge the newly-laid surface was slippery.
It also noted that, with the incident occuring during the warm-up, there was no time pressure on Murphy to exit the pits quickly.
In a statement released after the decision was handed down at Queensland Raceway on Saturday, TWR Australia, on behalf of Murphy, said the decision was "blatantly wrong" and "a denial of natural justice."
“This (the decision) was despite the stewards' admission that much of the evidence submitted was contradictory," the statement said.
“(We) will take whatever steps are necessary to clear Greg's and the team's names.”
Murphy will have his appeal heard at CAMS’ National Office in Melbourne tomorrow night.
Meanwhile, the K & J Thermal Products Racing’s ingenuity has cost them $1000, after they were found in breech of regulations which state a wheel nut must be detached from the rattle guns. The team used ‘race tape’ to retain the wheel nut in the gun.
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