Motorsport Australia investigating Dutton for Randle push

There is now to be an official investigation into the incident between Triple Eight’s Mark Dutton and Tickford’s Thomas Randle following yesterday’s race in Tasmania, after Tickford Racing has today asked for it to be investigated.

A Motorsport Australia spokesperson told Auto Action:

“Motorsport Australia has received correspondence from Tickford regarding a post-race incident in pit lane at this weekend’s Supercars event in Tasmania. We will now work with the relevant parties to determine the next steps and if any further action will be taken.”

Fans of the sport and Erebus owner Betty Klimenko took to social media this morning to express concerns about how this incident has been handled.

We believe only the parties involved or Supercars could ask for that review.

But the delay in this review being requested have fired up social media this morning, mostly referring back to an incident between Erebus’ Barry Ryan and Mark Winterbottom at Pukekohe in 2022 – which earned Ryan a reprimand and questioning if it was one set of rules for Erebus, and another for Triple Eight.

The recent incident occurred when Randle went to apologise to Broc Feeney after contact on the track, but Dutton blocked his path and pushed him out of the T8 garage saying “don’t walk in the garage”. Jamie Whincup was also on the scene and was heard saying “he can apologise.”

Despite Motorsport Australia rule B6.5.1 stating “a person must not intentionally make physical contact” the incident was not referred to the Stewards on the day and was only raised with Motorsport Australia at lunchtime on Monday. Because it would have had no impact on the results, the Stewards of the even could have initiated their own hearing, but obviously didn’t.

Erebus team owner Betty Klimenko was on social media on Monday morning comparing the incident with that of Ryan and Winterbottom.

“It was a very interesting weekend. I was home watching and could not believe it when Dutton and (Jamie) Whincup, put their hands on Randle when he tried to apologise,” Klimenko wrote.

“A rule which got Barry Ryan in trouble and punished and as the rule states, no-one from any team may physically touch someone from another team.

“But all things being as they are in Supercars, as far as I know neither of them got a summons to appear in front of the stewards.

“And people wonder why I have so little faith in the sport as it is at the moment. Most rules have gone out the window and (are) changed to suit the occasion.

“Oh well, nothing I can do but hope that one day my faith will come back.”

Both Klimenko’s post and AUTO ACTION’s Sunday evening story highlighting the incident have received numerous comments from fans asking the same questions.

Triple Eight’s Jeromy Moore offered an explanation from the team on the incident in the post-race press conference.

“In the heat of the moment emotions were running high,” he said.

“We will have a look at what transpired whether it was a pure mistake or whatever.

“For sure we get upset when we lose a 2-3, regardless of the scenario but when it is from another team you go into defence mode.

“We will go back and see what the cause was but at the end of the day we got taken out and we are not happy about that, so it is natural I think.”

Motorsport Australia has now initiated its investigation and will report in due course.

More in tomorrow’s issue of AUTO ACTION.

Image: Fox Sports

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