McLaughlin uneasy with hunter’s role
DJR Team Penske star Scott McLaughlin will fight to regain his mantle as the “hunted” as his Supercars battle with Shane van Gisbergen resumes in the Sandown 500 this weekend.
McLaughlin had dominated the championship for most of the year but surrendered his position at the top of standings to van Gisbergen at The Bend in South Australia last round.
The Ford racer finished sixth and 10th in his races at the new circuit to hand his Holden rival a 19-point lead.
McLaughlin, who led the championship since the Symmons Plains round in Tasmania in April, said the team had learned from its poor weekend in South Australia.
“You have those days as a team but it’s how you come out on the back of them … and everyone is pumped to get on with it,’’ McLaughlin said.
“You could say it was timely … it was a nice little reset to go, ‘look, we’ve got to have a big think about it and refocus’.
“I guess now we are the hunter and we haven’t been the hunter for a long time.
“It’s good in some ways but we want to be the hunted soon.’’
As the Supercars endurance season kicks off at Sandown, McLaughlin is well aware of how important the longer 300-point races are to his title bid.
He started last year’s endurance campaign strongly, finishing second at Sandown before a DNF proved costly.
He was overrun in the title race by Jamie Whincup in a dramatic finish to the final event at Newcastle.
“We can have the fastest car out there but things still happen so it’s important we stay on the ball as a squad and also from my point of view to make sure there is no mistakes,’’ McLaughlin said.
“If we have a consistent enduro season that definitely sets us up for the rest of the year, which is very important.’’ at Bathurst
McLaughlin, 25, said he felt better prepared to handle the pressure this year as he continued his chase for his maiden crown.
“I understand the situation and what goes on but also I’m a year older and I feel a bit more relaxed,’’ he said. “I have definitely felt that throughout the year.’’
McLaughlin again will team with his French co-driver Alexandre Premat for the endurance races, which also take in the Bathurst 1000 and the Gold Coast 600. CRAIG Lowndes’ teammates have jokingly referred to it as the “funeral tour’’.
Such has been the outpouring of grief among devoted fans following the Holden hero’s announcement that this year would be his final fulltime season in Supercars, Lowndes admitted it had at times been overwhelming.
“It’s been quite funny in a sense. Shane (van Gisbergen) is calling it the funeral tour, instead of the farewell tour because people think I’m going to be dead tomorrow,’’ the 44year-old said.
“Everyone keeps saying, ‘You’re not going to be around next year, we need everything signed’.
“So people are now turning up at signing sessions with like 20 or 30 things, not just one or two anymore.
“It is quite funny that they have got this mentality that I’m not going to be around next year.
“You keep explaining to them that I am going to be around, I’m just going to be in a different position (as a codriver).
“It’s just humbling that they look at it that way, it has been quite funny.
The perennial fan favourite will continue his farewell tour at the Sandown 500 this weekend, although he will be back for the endurance races alongside either Van Gisbergen or Jamie Whincup as a co-driver next season.
Lowndes, who has five victories in the Sandown endurance race, can equal Allan Moffat on six victories if he wins at the historic Melbourne circuit this weekend.
That would take him to second for the most wins in the event behind the late Peter Brock (nine).