DICK Johnson Racing team principal Ben Croke has taken aim at Cam Waters following clashes in both Sunday qualifying sessions at Symmons Plains.
On both occasions, Waters was on laps that could potentially have sealed pole position before colliding with a Shell V-Power Racing Mustang at Turn 6.
The first incident was with Anton De Pasquale and the second with Will Davison, both of whom also lost the opportunity to improve their position.
While Waters was clearly the faster car both times, the DJR drivers had no obligation to get out of the way given they were on hot laps of their own.
“Look, it’s not the smartest thing he has probably ever done,” said Croke.
“If it’s him out on track or his team can’t manage the gap to the car in front of him in qualifying, then just to run into the car (in front) because he’s frustrated, it’s probably not really appropriate.”
De Pasquale, Davison and Waters were all relatively calm after the fact, although the latter did have a little jab for his fellow Ford team.
“It was all going on,” Waters explained.
“It’s just hard because everyone is trying to get a tow and there’s people playing games, it creates so much congestion out there so it’s always going to happen, you’re always going to have things like that.
“I was on good laps every time and caught a DJ car both times.
“I’m not sure if they made mistakes or if they’re just genuinely that slow – if they’re that slow I feel really bad for the drivers.
“But I’m on a good lap and I had no choice but to get it done and it is what it is. It probably cost myself a few spots, it obviously cost those guys a few spots.
“I was lucky I was third in that last one; if I got that last lap I probably would have been on pole which would have been nice.”
Championship leader Brodie Kostecki scored pole for both races, which will start at 1:05pm and 3:50pm respectively.
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