Sunday’s Gold Coast Supercars race has been washed out after a thunderstorm lashed the Surfers Paradise street circuit.
Organisers were forced to call off the race with just 43 of 102 laps completed, with the weather conditions making the track too unsafe.
The decision means no points are awarded leaving Ford’s Scott McLaughlin still leading the title race by a mere 14 points from Holden’s Shane Van Gisbergen with just four races remaining.
A no-result also ensures Bathurst champions Craig Lowndes and Steven Richards claim the Endurance Cup for the best performed pairing during the season’s three endurance events.
The race was initially halted for half an hour after 37 laps before organisers attempted a restart which was aborted after five laps under the safety car with the conditions not abating.
Red Bull Holden Racing Team principal Roland Dane said the attempt to restart the race and get past the 50 per cent mark when points could be awarded was dangerous.
« We were right to suspend the race, » Dane said.
« We were utterly wrong to resume it then … We absolutely need to be a little bit smarter about when it is raining like this about running races. »
The championship now moves to New Zealand for the Auckland SuperSprint at Pukekohe Park Raceway from November 2 to 4.
http://www.espn.com/v8-supercars/story/_/id/25039771/storm-washes-gold-coast-supercars-race
