Lowndes fined over post-race words

The three-time V8 Supercar champion made comments after the third and final race which were interpreted by many to suggest that the two (somewhat controversial) penalties he had received during the weekend were not entirely fair, and had been give to close the points gap between Lowndes and Holden driver Rick Kelly in the championship.

Lowndes issued a statement however, saying that his comments related to Holden teams fairly doing their best to help Kelly reduce the points gap to Lowndes, and that V8 Supercar officials were fair and doing their best.

An investigation last week by V8 Supercars Australia found that Lowndes and his team Triple Eight Race Engineering should answer allegations of breaches of the rules, following Lowndes and Triple Eight's decision to not admit to a breach of the rules.

The matter was set to be heard this Friday by the stewards at the V8 Supercar round at Symmons Plains, Tasmania.

Lowndes, however, has changed his mind and this week admitted to the breach, receiving a $15 000 fine, $5 000 of which is suspended until the end of the year providing he doesn't commit a similar breach of the rules.

Comments by Lowndes support such a change of heart, as he risked the possibility of a more severe penalty including a points deduction if the matter had gone to the stewards.

"I recognise that some of the comments that I made were inappropriate, and I therefore now apologise unreservedly to the stewards and the officials of the meeting for any offence that I caused," Lowndes said in a statement released through V8 Supercars.

"My comments were made in the heat of the moment, but I recognise that is no excuse."