The last corner incident

Sprint Gas Racing’s Jason Bargwanna has described his failed podium bid as shattering, declaring the late race clash with TeamVodafone’s Jamie Whincup cost him a top three place at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

However Whincup has stated he would make the same move again if he had to do-over, while eventual victor Garth Tander said Bathurst was about winning at all costs.

Bargwanna was running in third and Whincup fourth on lap 156 of the 161-lap race when Bargwanna defended a passing move from Whincup at the last corner, which ended with the #3 Sprint Gas Racing Commodore spinning.

Whincup and teammate Craig Lowndes finished the 1000-kay race in fifth while Bargwanna and co-driver Mark Noske ended up in sixth.

Stewards deemed the scuffle a racing incident and no action was taken.

Bargwanna’s teammate Greg Murphy and co-driver Mark Skaife fared better in the late race shenanigans but also just missed a podium place due to an untimely safety car period.

“We’re shattered, we really are because if you said at the start of the day we are going to be fourth and six with our two cars we probably would have been pretty happy but we were genuinely on the podium (before the incident),” Bargs said.

“We had good speed, we set the car up for mid to late runs and the car was really strong in that section and that’s why I was able to get Lee (Holdsworth) and I was quicker than Rick (Kelly) and to have Jamie do something as dumb as that it’s just unbelievable.”

Bargwanna was emphatic that he was not blocking and said Whincup should have been penalised for the incident.

“Sorry, I was racing hard and he (Whincup) couldn’t get past,” he said.

“That’s called racing for the Bathurst podium in my books. He’s taken us from being a podium result.”

Bargwanna was convinced that the stewards should have looked into the incident.

“We’re not in the Championship hunt so I give those guys plenty of respect and plenty of room because I know they are on the Championship hunt but the gloves were off and it’s just a joke,” he said.

Whincup was able to recover quicker than Bargwanna but the incident also cost him two positions and therefore the chance to finish on the podium.

“It was a bad situation; Bargs and I were both pushing hard,” the reigning V8 Champion said.

“It would have been great for both of us to be on the podium but it wasn’t to be.

“I’d do the same move again; I don’t feel I did anything wrong. If I did do something wrong I’m sure the stewards would have penalised me, but just the whole outcome (both missing the podium) is disappointing.”

Tander, who won the race with his Toll Holden Racing Team teammate Will Davison, said drivers needed to get some mongrel in them if it meant winning the race.

He made some contentious late-race contact with Rick Kelly whose #7 Jack Daniel’s Racing Commodore bore the brunt of a number of late race incidents.

“Stiff mate, it’s Bathurst,” was Tander’s response to his hard racing.

“We had to make sure we got through when we had to.”

Tander did not believe there was much to his incident with Kelly.

“It was a very small tap and I don’t think there’s any damage on the car so you do what you have to do to get track position and that’s what we had to do,” he said.

Kelly had no harsh words for his former teammate and instead reflected on what could have been for the startup team.

“While the Jack Daniel’s Commodore was in one piece it was the quickest car I've had here in a long time and one that was definitely capable of winning the race,” he said.

“So we are just so disheartened by getting crashed into so many times and in the end there getting shuffled back.

“The car was just too damaged at the end to hold on to second.

“I did the best I can and I don't think I could have done much more, so it’s just disheartening because the team really deserved something from today.”

Kelly did warn however, that the stewards need to make it clear just how forceful a driver can be while making a passing move.

“The guys said, as I understand it, that there was no infringement so I just need to understand why, and do the same thing,” he said.

“I mean if you’re allowed to do that nearly to the point where it puts someone in the wall then we’re going to have to do that because we need to win the Championship and if they allow it, they allow it.”

Sprint Gas Racing’s Sporting Director Jeff Grech said despite the devastation at missing a podium, it was an impressive effort for both cars to finish in the top six.

“It was a champion effort by everyone,” he said.

“Our preparation was perfect; I couldn’t be prouder of the team.

“Unfortunately luck didn’t go our way today, but all drivers gave it their all. It was definitely the one that got away.”