Super showdown as Mclaughlin, van Gisbergen vie for drivers’ title

So it’s come down to this.

Going into the final round of the Supercars season, Scott Mclaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen are separated by just 14 points, with 300 up for grabs.

It’s the narrowest margin there has ever been between two drivers battling it out for the title going into the last round of the season.

For one, it’s going to be one of the greatest moments of their career and for the other it’ll be a crushing blow, where a year’s work counted for nothing. And if that happens to be Mclaughlin, it’ll be the second season in a row where he’s suffered a devastating defeat on the last day.

But as much as it’s going to be an epic battle over the weekend, it’s also worth recognising this is another high point for New Zealand motorsport.

Greg Murphy, the four-time Bathurst winner and still one of New Zealand’s most recognisable drivers, says it’s not a coincidence to him that these two are dominating Australia’s premier motor racing category.

‘‘They are two of the best Supercars drivers ever to walk the planet and they’re in the two best teams in Australia,’’ Murphy said.

‘‘They are equally as good as anyone who’s ever driven one of these cars before.’’

Murphy gets to see van Gisbergen and Mclaughlin at close hand during the season, as part of the Supercars commentary team.

He’s witnessed the ups and downs of Mclaughlin and van Gisbergen over the year and says he can’t see any weaknesses in either of them going into this weekend.

Murphy can’t pick who’s going to come out on top, but he does feel a factor could be Mclaughlin and van Gisbergen’s team-mates.

Mclaughlin will have fellow Kiwi Fabian Coulthard in his corner, while driving tactically for van Gisbergen will be Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes.

‘‘They’ve got three cars working against one,’’ Murphy said.

‘‘Fabian is still not able to run at the pace Scott can and he’s still not where he needs to be. He hasn’t been able to play a part as much as Scott needs him to.

‘‘But where Triple Eight have a bit more strength is that Lowndes and Whincup are performing better than what Fabian is.

‘‘So they’ve potentially got the strength in numbers, to be able to cause some grief,’’ Murphy said.

‘‘But Scott is the qualifying guru and if he can qualify at the front, run at the front and have the speed in the car, he won’t need help.’’