V8 Champ in the Hands of the Stewards
The Australian V8 Supercar series title will be decided in the stewards room after a controversial end to the 2006 season, provisionally won by Holden’s Rick Kelly.
Kelly finished ahead of his only challenger Craig Lowndes in the final race at Phillip Island today. Kelly and Lowndes had entered the final race level on series points.
But Lowndes’ Triple Eight Racing team was set to protest the result after an early incident with Kelly cost the Ford driver any chance at the title.
Kelly’s car came into contact with Lowndes’ from behind early in the 31-lap race, the Ford driver spinning sidewards and slammed into by another car.
Kelly was given a black flag drive through penalty for causing the crash, but was able to recover and finish the race in 18th place.
Lowndes, however, suffered extensive car damage and spent the remainder of the race driving in and out of the pits to ensure his Falcon at least reached the finish line.
Ford’s Mark Winterbottom won the final race from Garth Tander while Kelly’s older brother Todd claimed the round win.
Kelly, 23, received the championship trophy amid cheers and jeers from the partisan crowd and admitted his victory had not come the way he wanted.
“It’s not the ideal way to win, but we got here, so yeah baby,” said Kelly. “It’s fantastic, the team really deserves this.”
Subject to protest, it is Holden’s first V8 series title since Mark Skaife won in 2002. Kelly is the first driver to win the V8 title without winning a championship round all season.
Cross posted @ Asian Motor Sports
Australian V8 Supercar Series, Sports, Phillip Island, Auto Racing, Motorsports, Full Throttle
I’m not comfortable with this protesting after the race. Kelly copped a drive though penalty for the infraction - that was the referee’s call, good or bad we have to go with the ref - however, Ford will argue that Lowndes suffered performance affecting damage to his cat & was therefore out of the running (which is true because the car was rooted & limped home with a the steering & tyres completely out of wack.
I’m neither Ford nor Holden, I just want to see good racing & don’t like this concept of “interpretation” of the rules & appeals after the penalty. I found it quite disturbing to have Neil Crompton, as intelligent a driver cum commentator that you will ever find, saying that it’s open to the various recent driver briefings & “current” interpretation as to whether what Lowndes did constitutes blocking or whether Kelly was in the wrong. Jesus Christ, we either go with the umpires decision or sack the umpire, there is no middle ground, other wise everybody will be bitching & appealing every call.Further what the hell is the “current” interpretation? What we will have a new one next week, as opposed to the one a month ago?
Personally, I would call it a racing incident 49% Lowndes 51% Kelly, yeah Lowndes defended & yeah Kelly stuck his nose in & had trouble pulling her up under braking.However, it was the opening corners of the seasons final race, on cold brakes, in a championship decider, with the two protagonists line astern of each other, HELLO!!!.
To have a championship go down to the final race, in what has been a very exciting season, was fantastic for the viewer. Kelly is a deserving winner, as would Lowndes have been if the title had gone his way, this will fall into the category of what fans can argue about for years to come. However, if there is an appeal & Lowndes ends up with the championship it will set a ugly precedent, we either respect the umpire’s call or overhaul the whole system.
I tend to agree, leave it “on the field” and not in the hands of the stewards.
Having any type of “protest” would imply someone thinks the incident was done on purpose which is idiotic in the extreme.
With everthing to race for in the final event niether driver is/was stupid enough to create an accident.
I’d be willing to bet your cupboard full of Vegimite the results will stand as they are.