MCLAUGHLIN EQUALS LOWNDES’ SWEET 16
MOTORSPORT: Scott McLaughlin has firmed to break one of the greatest records of all after winning race 22 of the season, the OTR SuperSprint in South Australia.
McLaughlin defied a spirited Will Davison challenge to claim his 16th race victory of 2019, drawing the reigning champion level with Craig Lowndes’s 1996 record.
So often compared to the great Lowndes, 26-year-old McLaughlin was imperious yesterday at The Bend Motorsport Park as Davison’s fight collapsed after a promising start.
McLaughlin extended his championship lead to 573 points, with Chaz Mostert unseating Fabian Coulthard to sit second on the standings.
“I’m proud of the guys for the turnaround we had here,” McLaughlin said.
“I’m so stoked. It was super racing at the start – I didn’t get the best start.”
Pole-sitter McLaughlin was jumped by Davison off the line, with the No.23 Milwaukee Racing Mustang leading from Jamie Whincup in a Red Bull Holden ZB Commodore and McLaughlin in his Mustang.
Hungry to grab an unlikely win after an impossibly difficult weekend, Whincup attacked Davison, only to let McLaughlin through.
The series leader hounded Davison, who was chasing his first win since 2016.
Shell V-Power Racing brought McLaughlin in on lap nine with an eye on the undercut. Davison pitted a lap later and retained track position.
On lap 15, Mostert passed Whincup at turn one and set after the leading duo.
On lap 18, McLaughlin again attempted an undercut with a stop. Milwaukee Racing reacted for Davison but problems getting out of the pit box cost him the lead as McLaughlin sailed past on the pit straight.
McLaughlin kept calm to secure the win — the 41st of his career — and head into history alongside Lowndes. The final margin to Davison was 2.469sec, with Mostert comfortably ahead of Nick Percat and Whincup. — James Pavey