Moffat 'hugely disappointed' by Dipper crash
Supercars
08 Oct 2023
Moffat crashed out at The Dipper on lap 69
Moffat crash came after major failure for Heimgartner/Wood Camaro
Waters set for first Bathurst DNF since 2011 after three straight podiums
A "hugely disappointed" James Moffat has taken responsibility over the crash that ended the hopes of one of Ford’s key runners in the Repco Bathurst 1000.
Moffat, sharing the #6 Monster Energy Mustang with Cam Waters, crashed at The Dipper on lap 69.
The son of four-time winner Allan, Moffat dragged the damaged Mustang back to the lane, but not without assistance after the car stopped at pit entry.
As the race approached the 100-lap mark, the #6 was still in the garage, all bit consigning Waters to his first Bathurst DNF since 2011, and Moffat’s first since rejoining Tickford in 2018.
“I just clipped the inside wall there at The Dipper, then that fired me into the outside wall,” Moffat said.
“Hugely disappointed, but I know I’m not the first person to do something like that, and I won’t be the last.
“Just disappointed in myself, I pride myself in not making errors like that. Sorry for all the team, all the guys.
“We were definitely fighting with both hands tied behind our backs today. It was tough out there, but that’s no excuse for what I did.”
It was a brutal end to Waters and Moffat’s bid for three consecutive Bathurst podiums, with their day already dented after a five-second penalty over an unsafe release.
It came after their Sandown 500 bid was derailed by an errant wheel which wiped the rear wing off the car fewer than 20 laps into the race.
“That’s what Bathurst is all about, it throws everything at you,” said Waters, who finished third in Saturday’s ARMOR ALL Top Ten Shootout.
“I’ve had some good experiences here, and some bad ones. Moff was doing an unbelievable job, he was hanging with Chaz [Mostert].
“He’s been great this enduro season, he’s other slipped on oil or made a mistake. No doubt he’s dirty on himself."
There were fears Moffat had crashed on oil left behind by the #8 R&J Batteries Camaro, with the car suffering a major failure with Dale Wood behind the wheel.
Wood and Andre Heimgartner had already been on the back foot after the former was sent into the Murray’s Corner sand by Scott Pye.
“Didn't get much warning, I got an oil pressure alarm earlier on for a couple of laps,” Wood said.
“On Conrod, it gave a massive bang and it was all over. We knew it was something big. The day started to go south earlier on when I came together with Scotty.
“I’m so gutted, I’m spewing for the team… the results should’ve come in this car."
