By Guy Hand
March 22nd 2009 @ 7:57am
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Driver anger erupts over grid position rule
Angry V8 Supercar drivers have lashed out at the championship’s new qualifying rules as several Clipsal 500 first-race heroes face becoming second-race zeroes.
A controversial rule change for 2009 means qualifying grid positions stay in force for all races on a weekend.
In previous years, qualifying determined grid positions for race one only, with race finishing spots then deciding the grid for race two.
Senior driver Russell Ingall urged V8 officials to be “man enough” to admit they had erred with the rule and change it before the next event in the series in New Zealand.
The worst affected here is Holden driver Cameron McConville, who fought his way from last place on the grid to a ninth place finish in Saturday’s race one behind winner Jamie Whincup.
McConville will have to start Sunday’s race two from the back of the grid again.
But others, such as Ford’s Craig Lowndes and Holden ace Garth Tander, are big winners as a result of the new rule in force for the first time in Adelaide.
Lowndes was 20th in race one, while Tander failed to finish.
Both leap to the top two rows of the grid for race two.
“It’s an absolutely ludicrous rule,” McConville said.
“To get up to ninth then have to go back to 29th, that’s a double smack in the head with a wet fish.”
Ingall was just as scathing, saying McConville had every right to be angry after an excellent race-one drive.
He comes from last to ninth and has to start last again tomorrow that just sucks,” Ingall said.
“It isn’t right. They’ve buggered it up and I hope they’re man enough to admit it.”
Even Tander said he didn’t agree with the rule, though he was relieved to be a beneficiary this time around.
McConville warned V8 drivers were in the process of forming a drivers’ association to bolster their voice within the sport.
Rules and track safety are likely to be the key issues within the new body’s sights.
The drivers are keen to send a senior representative to the two new tracks being used in the series this year – Townsville and Sydney’s Homebush – a month before the race to ensure both tracks are safe to race on.
AAP gh/djw
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