BRIDGESTONE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS DISPUTE HANGS CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BALANCE

Following controversy regarding the 2009 Bridgestone Production Car Championship, Motorsport South Africa issued this statement:

“At the end of the final event of the season, at Kayalami on 17 October 2009, Anthony Taylor (Afrox BMW) and Johan Fourie (Indy Oil Audi) were tied on 114 points each.  As per normal procedure, their race results during the season were assessed to break the tie.  Both drivers had achieved an equal number of wins but Taylor had achieved more second place finishes and the tie was therefore resolved in his favour.

However, subsequent to the Kayalami event, Lee Philips of SAM Racing withdrew an outstanding protest concerning his driver Marco da Cunha at last month’s Phakisa event.  This withdrawal of the protest meant that the penalty of a race exclusion imposed on da Cunha remained in force and all the competitors that finished behind him in the race were promoted one position in the race results. 

From this, Johan Fourie gained one point, sufficient for him to move one point clear of Anthony Taylor in the Class A championship.

Also subsequent to the Kayalami event, a formal protest has been lodged with MSA by the Afrox BMW team.

This protest, which hinges around the qualifying bonus points awarded to Dawie Olivier (Sasol Subaru), may also potentially affect the outcome of the Class A championship. 

The championship results therefore remain provisional until such time as this protest, and any subsequent appeals that may be forthcoming, have been finally resolved.”

Something smells rotten here, I dare say. Why did Philips withdraw and is the Afrox BMW team that desperate for its potential points?