Lessons learnt amidst Tassie turmoil

Penrite Racing endured a tough weekend in Launceston, the Symmons Plains conditions proving difficult to come to terms with.  

Matt Payne remains in fifth place in the championship standings, with Richie Stanaway placed in 14th. Penrite Racing were overtaken in the teams championship, leaving in Launceston in fifth position, however, the increased allocation of points across the endurance races will offer ample opportunity to overcome that deficit and vault up the championship order. 

The threat of weather was ever-present, this being the second time that Tasmania would host a Symmons Plains event in August. The weekend was run in dry conditions for the most part, with Saturday morning showers proving to be the only bout of inclement weather of the event. 

As has been the case at previous events in the Apple Isle, track position was key throughout the weekend.  

A Saturday morning deluge paved the way for Richie Stanaway to remind everyone of his wet weather prowess, taking the top spot in the morning’s practice session. However, sunshine bathed Symmons Plains for the rest of the day, completely upheaving the practice order in qualifying.  

Saturday’s three-part qualifying session didn’t exactly go to plan for the Penrite Racing crew, with Matt Payne knocked out in the first session, lining up in position 23 for that afternoon’s race. Richie Stanaway did progress to the second part, however, an ill-timed red flag courtesy of Thomas Randle meant that the session was halted before Richie could register his much-improved lap time. He would line up in 17th. 

It took less than a lap for chaos to ensue, with Matt turned around by Will Davison, falling to the back of the field. Richie and Matt would fight to the flag, finishing in 16th and 17th respectively. 

Whilst Saturday’s results were disappointing, there was renewed confidence on Sunday morning having banked green tyres for qualifying later that day.  

Qualifying for Race 18 began in positive fashion, with both drivers progressing into the second part of qualifying. After the first runs of Q2, both cars were entrenched in the Top 10 and looking to feature in the final phase of qualifying. However, slow out laps from other competitors meant that Richie and Matt were unable to reach the control line before time elapsed, thus plummeting down the order as other cars made use of the evolving track speed. 

Richie and Matt would line up in 16th and 19th respectively. 

Sunday’s race was even less kind to the Number 19 crew. Matt would receive a pit lane penalty for exiting the pitlane whilst the red light was illuminated. Matt’s ill-fortune was compounded, having to return to the lane to fix damage to the rear diffuser.  

Richie’s race was uncompromised, yet overall speed eluded Car 26. He would finish the day in 17th, with Matt finishing 21st, and a lap down. 

Attention now turns to the team’s home event, the Penrite Oil Sandown 500. Sandown will play host to the traditional endurance race curtain raiser before the iconic Bathurst 1000. 5x Bathurst 1000 champion, Garth Tander will join Matt Payne in the Number 19 Mustang, with Dale Wood joining reigning Bathurst champion Richie Stanaway in Car Number 26.