Prodrive cops points penalty for unsafe release

Mark Winterbottom recovered to 24th after the unsafe pit release

Prodrive Racing Australia has been hit with a points penalty following an unsafe pit release during Saturday’s opening leg of the Castrol Gold Coast 600.

Following further investigation stewards have docked Prodrive 50 Teams’ Championship points after an unsafe release that saw Mark Winterbottom collide with the Holden Racing Team’s Garth Tander.

The incident saw Winterbottom drive into the side of Tander’s Commodore causing significant damage to the championship leader’s Falcon.

Winterbottom was issued with a drive-through penalty during the race.

Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell have meanwhile been issued with a 25 point penalty for careless driving when the latter turned around the #99 Nissan driven by Taz Douglas in the early laps.

Super Black Racing’s Andre Heimgartner and Ant Pedersen have also been handed a 25 point penalty for failing to acknowledge blue flags.