Erebus withdraws Brown Gold Coast penalty appeal
The moment of contact between Will Brown and Scott Pye. Picture: Fox Sports
Erebus Motorsport has withdrawn its appeal of Will Brown’s penalty after contact with Scott Pye on Sunday at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, according to the team.
The pair were at the rear of a train of cars in the closing stages of yesterday’s 250km encounter on the streets of Surfers Paradise.
They were forced to slow up on the apex of Turn 15 as Mark Winterbottom dived up the inside of Cameron Waters.
Pye (#20 Team 18 ZB Commodore) copped a nose-to-tail hit from Brown (#9 Erebus ZB Commodore), who was tucked up behind, with Pye ultimately unloaded into the tyre barriers
Stewards dished a 15-second penalty to Brown for what was deemed a “driving infringement”, which Erebus lodged an intent to appeal last night.
However, the team has confirmed to Speedcafe.com that the appeal has been withdrawn.
According to the Supercars Operations Manual, the penalty had no grounds for appeal, regardless.
Brown’s infringement falls under Rule B7.7.1 regarding a time penalty “during or after the Event”.
Per the regulations, “there is no right of Appeal against a determination for which a Penalty has been applied in accordance with Rule B7.7.1.”
“It’s ridiculous that a team cannot at least have a chat about an in-race penalty,” team boss, Barry Ryan, told Speedcafe.com over text.
Similar matters have been dismissed on at least two previous separate occasions, including the controversial 2016 Bathurst 1000.
In that year’s Great Race, Jamie Whincup was the first car to take the chequered flag in full knowledge that a 15-second time penalty would be applied after a collision with Scott McLaughlin on Lap 150.
Triple Eight Race Engineering sought to appeal the severity of the 15 second post-race time penalty which cost Car #88 its Great Race win that year.
The Supercars National Court of Appeal concluded that the team did not have the right to present its appeal.
In 2017, DJR Team Penske was also unable to appeal one of the in-race time penalties that cost Scott McLaughlin the title at the final round in Newcastle.
Car #17 was penalised as the chequered flag fell for McLaughlin’s part in a stoush that saw Craig Lowndes crash out on the penultimate lap.
DJR ultimately accepted, “The rules are quite clear that a … penalty during the race basically, isn’t subject to appeal”.
On the Brown/Pye matter, Supercars’ driving standards advisor Craig Baird told Speedcafe.com that he is “comfortable” with the decision regarding Brown’s penalty.
It is believed that the $10,000 fee to lodge an intent to appeal is non-refundable to Erebus.
Brown was classified 11th, with Pye in 12th.
