THE Sunday leg of the Newcastle 500 has been red-flagged following a crash in the opening metres of the 95-lap contest.
Tickford Racing rookie Declan Fraser tangled with Brad Jones Racing’s Macauley Jones moments after the green light.
The touch turned Fraser’s Mustang into the pit wall on the left-hand side of the circuit, striking the concrete head-on at relatively low speed.
An official was reportedly knocked over in the incident but escaped unharmed.
Fraser’s crash adds to an already tough day for Tickford Racing, after James Courtney’s car could not take the start due to damage sustained in the Top 10 Shootout.
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It adds to an already tough day for Tickford Racing, after James Courtney’s car could not take the start due to damage sustained in the Top 10 Shootout.
Chaz Mostert leads the race at the red flag having out dragged polesitter David Reynolds to Turn 1.
Cameron Waters, James Golding, Shane van Gisbergen, Tim Slade, Jack Le Brocq, Andre Heimgartner, Broc Feeney and Todd Hazelwood complete the top 10.
Mostert’s flying start came despite the driver having to frantically change coolsuits on the grid after snapping the connector of his original unit as he tried to plug it in.
The red flag stoppage will likely mean the race runs time certain, despite having been moved to an earlier start time to help ensure all 95 laps are completed.
