Herne loses huge opportunity as motorsport bodies bicker

THE Australian Autosport Association has taken aim at Motorsport Australia over their decision to exclude a Lismore driver from Bathurst 1000.

Nathan Herne racing in a support race at the Townsville Supercars. Sunday August 30. Tin Tops Race 3. Picture: Evan Morgan

THE Australian Autosport Alliance has criticised Motorsport Australia’s decision to not grant Nathan Herne a superlicence dispensation for Bathurst 1000.

The Lismore driver had been set to feature with Tyler Everingham as part of Garry Rogers Motorsports’ wildcard entry to Australia’s biggest motorsport race.

Motorsport Australia indicated earlier this week that safety concerns were behind the decision, citing his lack of experience in Super2 or Super3 as a concern.

>>> SEE MORE: SHOCK DECISION DASHES BATHURST DREAM

But the Alliance said Herne’s recent body of work indicated he was up to the required level for Supercars.

“Every opportunity that Nathan Herne had to race at MA4 sanctioned events in 2020, he was there ‒ Adelaide, Bathurst 12 Hour, Townsville and if the Shannon’s Nationals had run all their scheduled rounds, he would have been there too, racing the MA4 sanctioned TransAm car,” they said.

“Would this have given MA4 enough visibility of Nathan’s skills to grant him the exemption?

“GRM have just completed a two-day test at Winton, where MA4 had to opportunity to view Nathan Herne in action.

“They chose not to attend, maybe COVID-19 restrictions made that impossible.

“Irrespective of that, several vastly experienced Supercar personnel were on hand and by all accounts Nathan acquitted himself very well.

“This can all be verified by the car’s data, not opinion.”

The Alliance indicated in their statement that Motorsport Australia had failed to represent all of Australian motorsport in this decision.

“We struggle to refer to MA4 as Motorsport Australia, because they do not represent Motorsport in Australia,” they said.

“The rebrand from CAMS to MA4 was the opportunity for CAMS to become a true representative body for all motorsport – it seems this opportunity has been lost and Nathan Herne loses his opportunity so that MA4 can prove their point.

“Exemptions have been granted before and will be again, but in 2020, a year devastated by COVID-19 restrictions, MA4 had the opportunity to do something good, something fair, something good for motorsport.”

The Alliance are one of many who have questioned the decision, with GRM also standing with their driver earlier this week.

>>> SEE MORE: GRM STANDS BY HERNE.