Supercars 2022: Bathurst 1000 damage costs revealed ahead of Gold Coast 500

As Supercars teams were left scrambling to repair the carnage from a chaotic Bathurst 1000, we reveal the massive financial cost to get the cars ready for the Gold Coast 500.

Supercars squads are counting the heavy financial cost of a bruising Bathurst 1000 as Grove Racing revealed the eye-watering damage bill for the repair of David Reynolds’ Mustang could be as high as $180,000.

After the carnage of a chaotic start to the great race at Mount Panorama two weeks ago, several teams have been racing to get their cars repaired in time before they are loaded back on the trucks for the trip to the Gold Coast for this week’s Surfers Paradise race.

Reynolds’ car was left a mangled mess after his co-driver Matt Campbell was taken out of the race when Tickford Racing’s Zane Goddard triggered a multi-car crash on lap five.

Goddard, James Courtney’s co-driver, ran off the track attempting a pass at the Chase, skidded across the muddy grass and then speared into the path of Brad Jones Racing’s Dale Wood (Andre Heimgartner) and Campbell when he returned to the track.

David Reynolds' damaged car from Bathurst 1000. Picture: Supplied

All three cars were left badly damaged from the impact, ending their races. Goddard was later fined $10,000 for an unsafe rejoin.

Grove Racing team principal David Cauchi revealed the cost to repair Reynolds’ Mustang was likely to end up costing between $150,000 and $180,000.

Tickford Racing estimated the damage to Courtney’s car could also be up to $100,000, while Thomas Randle’s Mustang also suffered about $45k worth of damage when his co-driver Zak Best was taken out in the lap one carnage on Mountain Straight.

But the Ford squad decided the repair job on Courtney’s car would be too much to complete properly between Bathurst and the Gold Coast race and he will instead race in the team’s spare chassis for the penultimate round of the Supercars’ season.

Cauchi said the damage to Reynolds’ car was the worst front-on damage he had seen to a Supercar during his time in the series.

Reynold’s car was wrecked after Zane Goddard triggered a multi-car crash on lap five on Mount Panorama. Picture: Fox Sports.

“It’s probably one of the biggest impacts that I have seen in terms of the frontal impact,” Cauchi said.

“We hit right in the centre of our car … the front of the engine was damaged because the radiator basically got wrapped around the engine.

“The damage was one of the worst crashes of that kind that I’ve seen in my 15 years in the sport.

“It was quite significant. The pictures of the car, it was a pretty sad and sorry sight. It was pretty demoralising for the team.

“The rough numbers at the moment, I haven’t seen the latest figures, but it’s going to be in the vicinity of $150 to $180,000 (repair bill).

“It’s a lot of the bolt-on parts that are very specialised that really get the repair bill going up in the north direction very quickly.”

The Grove crew has worked around the clock after returning to Melbourne from Bathurst to get the car repaired in time for the trip to the Gold Coast.

The car was stripped back to its skeleton as soon as it returned to the workshop, the engine damage was addressed and Cauchi said the Mustang would be ready in time to tackle a street circuit which is also notoriously bruising on cars.

“The guys and girls have been doing some long hours,” Cauchi said.

“We have had to get in a little bit of extra help, a few extra hands just to help with the workload, but everyone has just dug in and really got on with it.

“We are definitely on track …. to leave on Tuesday.

“The Gold Coast circuit has been a bit of a car-killer in the past … if it is, I hope that we’re not involved in it.”

Tickford Racing team manager Matt Roberts said Courtney’s car could not be repaired in time for the Gold Coast race, so the spare chassis had to be deployed.

But the crew still had a big job to prepare a bare shell to race in less than two weeks.

Fortunately, the damage to Randle’s car was less significant.

“We had a good assessment of JC’s car after Bathurst and we decided to repair the car properly,” Roberts said.

“It was certainly repairable damage but just not in the time frame that we had to turn the cars around and get the trucks on the way.

“I haven’t crunched the numbers, but it’s probably a $100,000 crash to be fair. And probably half of that cost on Thomas’ car, maybe $45,000 roughly in damage.

“So we had to revert back to the spare chassis (for Courtney), which happened to be the same chassis Thomas Randle crashed at Tailem Bend, which was a horrific incident.

“It (the spare chassis) was basically a bare shell (early this week) so they have worked tirelessly to smash it out.”

FIRST PICS: COURTNEY’S HECTIC PRE-RACE PLAN AFTER BABY JOY

Supercars star James Courtney won’t be tempted to dodge midnight nappy changing duties in favour of sleep during the Gold Coast 500 next week after the arrival of his newborn son.

After an anxious build-up to the Bathurst 1000, Courtney and his wife Tegan welcomed baby boy Kobe, who held on to arrive just days after the great race last week.

Kobe’s arrival came just five weeks after the new parents tied the knot in a secret ceremony at the Brisbane registry in front of just a few close family members early last month.

The baby boy is the first child for Tegan and the third for Courtney, who has a daughter, Zara, and a son, Cadel, from his previous marriage.

Kobe will be just two weeks old when Courtney has to jump back behind the wheel for the next Supercars event on the streets of Surfers Paradise.

But the Gold Coast-based 2010 Supercars champion said he would be staying at home to help with the baby rather than checking into a hotel to get some rest for racing.

James Courtney with their new son Kobe. Picture: Nigel Hallett

James Courtney with son Kobe and wife Tegan. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“I’ll be there and I’ll be up helping in the night,” Courtney said.

“It’s nice. I like seeing his little face, it’s nice when it’s that time of night, it’s nice and quiet and when you’re feeding and stuff, it’s quite an intimate experience.

“I’ll definitely be staying at home. I like to give the little guy a kiss goodnight and good morning as well, so I’ll be at home.

“I’ve been quite surprised how it all comes back pretty quickly. Obviously, it has been 12 years since Cadel (was born).

“The nappies, the swaddling, all the wrapping, I haven’t forgotten anything so far.”

James Courtney and his son Kobe. Picture: Nigel Hallett

New mum Tegan added she was happy to let Courtney have his rest while he raced, but had welcomed his night-time support.

“I am happy to take over for the week while he’s racing if he needs his sleep,” she said.

“But like he said, he likes to be involved and he has been a massive help.

“There’s lots to learn. James has been awesome, he’s taught me quite a bit.”

Staying at home rather than making the trip to Mount Panorama, Tegan revealed she thought she might go into labour early on the eve of the Bathurst 1000.

But fortunately Kobe held on until the Tickford Racing driver arrived home.

“I started getting contractions literally the day before Bathurst, so I was a little bit worried and thought I might be having the baby on the Saturday night,” she said.

“It was just like early labour signs.

“But it all went smoothly. I’m really happy with how everything went.”

Courtney was also relieved he was able to get home in time to be at the birth.

“It was much better than coming home and missing it all,” Courtney said.

“It’s a magical experience seeing it all and being a part of it and to be there when he first starts crying and to experience that with Tegan was fantastic.”

James Courtney and his wife Tegan awaiting baby Kobe’s arrival before the Bathurst 1000. Picture: Mark Horsburgh

The excitement surrounding Kobe’s arrival has helped ease the disappointment of Courtney’s Bathurst campaign after his race ended on lap five when his co-driver Zane Goddard was involved in early carnage.

“It was gutting. We are paid to race and challenge and try and pass cars and things, I feel bad for Zane,” Courtney said.

“When we make mistakes, especially in our business, it’s on national TV in front of everyone so it’s been really tough for him. So I have just been checking in with him and making sure that he is OK because it’s a tough thing to deal with.

“But obviously the birth of Kobe has been quite the distraction and it’s definitely keeping me busy in between Bathurst and the Gold Coast race.”

Originally published as Supercars 2022: Bathurst 1000 damage costs revealed ahead of Gold Coast 500