Bathurst 2020: Battle to secure Nathan Herne’s wildcard turns ugly amid claims of hidden agenda
The battle for Bathurst 2020 wildcards is turning nasty. The sport’s governing body is being accused of double standards with a teen driver the victim of ridiculous politics.
V8
Don't miss out on the headlines from V8. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The battle for a Bathurst 1000 wildcard has turned messy with Garry Rogers Motorsport taking the sport’s governing body to an appeals court amid claims of a “hidden agenda”.
Backing down from a plan to take the issue to the Supreme Court of Victoria, Garry Rogers Motorsport (GRM) will fight Motorsport Australia in the Australian Motorsport Appeals Court over its rejection of a special licence for teenager Nathan Herne to race at Mount Panorama.
The GRM camp is awaiting a hearing date, but hope it can be heard by the end of the week.
Herne was refused dispensation for a Motorsport Australia Superlicence last month ahead of a planned wildcard entry in the Great Race with GRM.
Herne, 18, was slated to team with Super2 series driver Tyler Everingham in a return to the Supercars series for GRM, which gave a start to some the sport’s biggest names including Scott McLaughlin, Jamie Whincup and Garth Tander early in their careers.
Motorsport Australia denied Herne’s application for dispensation because he did not meet the formal criteria to obtain a Superlicence, which is required to race in Supercars.
The governing body said Supercars and the Supercars Commission were consulted on – and were “aligned with” – the decision.
Watch every session of the Bathurst 1000 live & Ad-Break Free during racing with FOX SPORTS on KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your free trial now & start streaming instantly
But GRM argued other drivers had been granted dispensation with less Superlicence points and racing experience than Herne and he had been denied as he raced in rival V8 Trans-Am Muscle Car series and not in the feeder Super2 or Super3 series for Supercars.
GRM director Barry Rogers said Herne’s racing experience stacked up and he was a victim of “politics” in the sport.
“We knew Nathan would need a dispensation. We did the homework, this Superlicence was only introduced in 2017 and there has only been four dispensations given in that period,” Rogers said.
“From a Superlicence level point, Nathan is the highest rated driver of any of the ones that have applied for it.
“Behind the facade of safety is a hidden agenda of the sport that they want those younger drivers to come through their avenues of racing, not other avenues of racing.
“Nathan is the most highly credentialed with regards to how many points he’s got and how many races he’s done, but hasn’t come through the avenue of Super2 or Super3.
“In this year’s race there are other rookie drivers that have been given dispensation with less experience than Nathan … for example, Broc Feeney (who will team with James Courtney).
“Broc has raced in Super2, he has had half the amount of races as Nathan in his career.”
Motorsport Australia introduced the Superlicence four years ago “to maintain the highest safety and driving standards across the sport”.
Drivers need 13 accrued points to be automatically granted a Superlicence. Herne has 10, while Feeney officially has nine.
Motorsport Australia chief executive Eugene Arocca said representatives from the sport’s governing body and the Supercars Commission met last week to consider Herne’s application, including additional references and recent test day data from GRM.
MORE BATHURST NEWS
Walkinshaw Andretti United put Chaz Mostert’s V8 Supercar up for sale
Bathurst 1000: Holden hero Jamie Whincup vows to avenge his title loss
McLaughlin ‘never giving back’ controversial Bathurst crown – and now he’s got a ‘point to prove’
“Following consideration it was unanimously determined a dispensation would not be issued in this instance based on all the information submitted as part of this process and before the panel,” Arocca said.
“GRM has now indicated it will lodge an appeal with the Australian Motorsport Appeals Court and this independent body will hear the matter as soon as it is able.”
Supercars said they considered the Herne appeal an issue for Motorsport Australia.
Rogers said his father Garry, who pulled out of Supercars at the end of last year, was upset young drivers with talent were not being given an opportunity if they didn’t have the budget to compete in more expensive series.
“Garry has been doing this for 57 years, he has got a history of being able to spot these young guys,” Rogers said.
“It’s disappointing to him that young people can’t dream that they can get to Bathurst unless their parents are going to sell the house … or have the budget to go down the track of Super2 or Super3 – because it is a very expensive road to go down.”
Rogers said it was unlikely GRM would sub in another driver for Herne if the team did not win its appeal for its wildcard entry.