V8s young gun miraculously escapes ‘trifecta of trauma’ at Bathurst as Red Bull Triple Eight cars endure wild morning of practice on the Mountain

Drama seems to follow Zane Goddard when he’s behind the wheel at Bathurst – and he was lucky to avoid serious drama at the Mountain on Friday.

Triple Eight V8 driver Goddard, 23, staggered into McPhillamy Park on impact, sending him off the track and through the sand.

It caught the attention of the commentators, with five-time V8 Supercar Championship series winner Mark Skaife declaring that the Queensland-born driver was ‘lucky to get away with that’.

“He just got away… when you got to the top of the climb and as soon as he had the big upset moment he couldn’t get back to the top,” Skaife added.

Co-commentator Chad Neylon labeled the incident a ‘trifecta of Triple Eight trauma’ after early drama with Jamie Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen.

Zane Goddard in action on Friday during practice for the Triple Eight V8 race at Bathurst

Last year Goddard caused a huge crash at the Bathurst 1000, with youthful exuberance getting the better of the rising star.

Goddard opted to ride through the mud in the Chase before rejoining the track just ahead of the pack.

With nowhere to go, Dale Wood and Matt Campbell crashed into Goddard, causing chaotic scenes.

Stewards fined Goddard $10,000 for the crash, half of which was suspended.

Goddard said at the time that a minor brake jam caused him to veer off course.

“I tried to pass Murph (Greg Murphy) and hit the brakes,” he told V8 Sleuth.

‘It was a big mistake on my part. In retrospect, I could have tried to hit the brakes harder.”

Goddard added that he later apologized to Wood and Campbell in the pit lane, which they “took pretty well.”

The main race in Bathurst, the iconic 1000, will be held on Sunday.