By Guy Hand
November 23rd 2009 @ 5:59am
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Drivers call for safety car overhaul
Leading V8 Supercar drivers say they’ve lost confidence in the sport’s safety car procedures after a dangerous bungle for the second successive event.
The safety car — which enters the track when there has been an accident and should exit once the field re-starts the race — was on the course at the wrong time during Sunday’s race at Barbagallo Raceway.
It followed a similar mistake at Phillip Island a fortnight ago, in which the safety car was parked on the track as cars were racing around one of Australia’s fastest circuits.
Both incidents caused major confusion among drivers, but luckily no accidents.
But drivers say they’re concerned the safety car has put them at risk for a second successive race weekend and are calling for an overhaul of safety car procedures.
Holden driver Garth Tander said someone involved in the sport who understands pit strategies needed to be brought in to fix the problem.
“There’s been two safety car deployments in a row where there’s been mass confusion, and it just looks bad for our sport,” Tander said.
“Our team just said they had no idea what was going on, and told me ‘if the safety car pulls in front of you, don’t hit it’, and that’s what we tried to do.”
Ford driver Craig Lowndes agreed.
“We were told at the drivers’ briefing that they have more eyes and ears watching what goes on, and unfortunately I’m not sure whether that actually happened (with the safety car),” Lowndes said.
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