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GRM LAUNCH LEGAL FIGHT

Garry Rogers Motorsport launch legal fight - Photo: Optikal Photography

By Bruce Williams

Garry Rogers Motorsport launch legal fight - Photo: Optikal Photography

Garry Rogers Motorsport launch legal fight – Photo: Optikal Photography

Garry Rogers Motorsport has launched legal action against Motorsport Australia for denying 18-year-old Bathurst 1000 rookie Nathan Herne a Superlicence exemption.

By HEATH McALPINE

This follows Motorsport Australia’s announcement last week, which the governing stated it was not providing Herne a Superlicence to race at this year’s Bathurst 1000.

Discussions between Motorsport Australia and GRM were conducted to find a solution, one of these proposed that Herne participate in practice sessions and a decision to be based on his performance.

GRM director Barry Rogers confirmed to Auto Action that a legal challenge has been lodged after the two parties failed to come to terms.

“Yeah it has been,” Rogers told Auto Action.

“This certainly could have been avoided, Nathan could have been given a provisional licence subject to his performance.

“It’s a big investment to go up to Bathurst and pack it up after practice if someone’s not good enough.

“It’s a shame that option wasn’t taken up because it really would have solved the whole situation and really if he wasn’t up to it, we wouldn’t have started.

“You couldn’t have asked for much more than that.”

With no way to appeal the Superlicence decision through Motorsport Australia avenues, a legal pathway provides GRM the last opportunity to save its Wildcard entry.

Motorsport Australia declined GRM’s offer to evaluate Herne at the two-day test the team conducted last week, which also included fellow Wildcard driver Tyler Everingham at Winton.

“It was disappointing that Motorsport Australia didn’t take up the option to come to the test and made its decision before the test,” said Rogers. “It made the announcement on the eve of our test.

“We understand the test wasn’t a race meeting, but more than 200 laps of Winton would have given them a fair indication of if they were up to it or not.”

Rogers acknowledged Herne competing in the AASA-affiliated TA2 Muscle Car Series has made the situation difficult but didn’t believe it would be as much of a factor in applying for the Superlicence dispensation.

“This has obviously become a political hurdle because we’ve got a young driver that has taken a different pathway, probably not the preferred one under an opposing banner being AASA compared to Motorsport Australia,” Rogers explained.

“Did we consider all that when we applied for a dispensation, no we didn’t consider all that because obviously that might be naïve, it probably is, but you shouldn’t have to consider those things.

“If someone’s got talent, the politics should step aside and the talent should take over.”

Rogers also sympathised with Bathurst 1000 debutant Broc Feeney as constant comparisons between he and Herne has added to the attention brought upon him heading to The Mountain where he joins James Courtney

“To me, the unfortunate recipient of this is Broc Feeney because of the constant comparisons between the two,” Rogers said.

“All you can do is compare recent dispensations that have occurred in the past and probably the most current one is the most relevant one.

“I feel for Broc because he shouldn’t have to be dealing with that.”

He also paid tribute to Everingham, who heads into quarantine without knowing whether he will line-up on the grid for his maiden Bathurst 1000 start.

“I also feel particularly for Tyler Everingham, he’s sitting there wondering if it is or isn’t going to happen,” he continued.

“This is the biggest day of his racing career on the verge of occurring or it may not occur.”

As reported in Auto Action 1795, vastly experienced engineer Richard Hollway will spearhead the attack with Rogers backing he and father Garry in providing the necessary guidance to the two debutants.

“We have a very experienced and well credentialed group, led by Garry with Richard Hollway, the chief engineer has done every single Bathurst 1000 of the Supercars era,” Rogers emphasised.

“There’s no better person to deal with all that than Richard.”

Recalling recent Supercars race winner Cam Waters’ entrance into the top-tier category through the Supercars Showdown reality show, Rogers emphasised the need to provide an opportunity for young drivers like Herne.

“Cam Waters in 2011 started the Bathurst 1000 off the back of winning a television series. Now if he wasn’t given the opportunity, he wouldn’t have won at Tailem Bend last weekend,” Rogers said.

“Nathan has the ability and fortunately he’s got someone out there being Garry giving him the opportunity. You never know, it may never happen again.”

Court proceedings are expected to begin in the coming days enabling the hearing to be concluded before Bathurst weekend.

GRM has split its team between Darwin and Sydney to quarantine, while the Commodore ZB that will be Wildcard being stickered up and freighted to Bathurst later this week.

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