The last run of the Sydney SuperNight was a unique spectacle. Supercars held their first rainy weather race under lights.
But the exciting affair did not play out completely, the race was stopped seven laps before the end after the safety car had been called to rescue Jake Kostecki’s injured Holden.
The officials eventually decided not to restart the race.
While it was far from agreed that abandoning the race was the right decision, the top three were a bit predictable for the decision.
According to race winner Jamie Whincup, the problem was the accumulation of water, both standing and flowing over the track, as soon as the cars stopped lapping quickly.
“It was what you saw on TV. It was pretty torrential,” said the seven-time serial champion.
“I don’t think it’s going to get much worse. It swarms in the dark.
“At Turn 4 there was a pretty decent river on the other track, and at Turn 1 it got a bit like with all the puddles and everything. It was one thing to just type it in and hold out.
“As I said after the race, the driver in me wanted to keep going, but the team owner thought it made sense [to stop]… we’ll be back next week, we can’t tear up six or seven cars and have about 18 starters next week.
“I think it was the right decision in the end.”
Anton De Pasquale, who finished second, agreed that parts of the track had gotten too wet to consider restarting.
Anton De Pasquale, Shell V-Power Racing, Ford Mustang
Photo by: Mark Horsburgh / EDGE
“Pretty sketchy, especially when the safety car was called, then it really started to buckle and get pretty wet,” said the Dick Johnson Racing star.
“It was on the verge. Most of the route was fine, but it was two or three [corners] That was pretty bad, just rivers over the track and you kind of became a passenger for part of the curve.
“You never want that. Above all, a new start, something will surely go under. “
Chaz Mostert, who moved up from the bottom of the grid to third in a remarkable drive, doubled the post-race comments that the spray was actually better under light than it was during the day.
However, he also conceded that the rivers flowing across the track had strayed into “dangerous” territory by the time the race ended.
“For me, the spray was the best that there has ever been in such wet weather conditions,” explained Mostert.
“During the day, when you have the spray so far back, it’s so bright that your eyes really go white. Here you can see the spray, but you can still see the track boundaries with the yellow lines and such.
“I think right before the safety car was called at the end it was probably the perfect timing, more [because] There were a couple of corners that just became too dangerous, especially in Turn 1.
“It didn’t matter which line you took there, it felt like you were about to turn into the grass and there were a few other rivers through the route as well.
“Kudos to supercars for calling it that. Of course the fans in the stands want to see a fantastic finish, but safety, cars and all that stuff, that was the right decision. “
