Van Gisbergen pips team-mate Whincup
SHANE van Gisbergen denied team-mate Jamie Whincup a historic 100th Supercars triumph with a slick pass on the second-to-last lap in race one of the Ipswich SuperSprint yesterday.
Bagging his third win in four races, the Kiwi driver came from behind to make a late charge and eventually stand at the top of an allTriple Eight Racing podium, with Craig Lowndes coming home third.
Strategy proved a crucial factor in the final result, with van Gisbergen pitting later in the 38-lap race and flying home on fresher tyres to secure his team’s 100th win with Holden.
"The race was pretty hectic at the start, we decided to go a long first stint and we had more grip at the end," he said.
"It was a really cool race, lots of passing and great competition. One-two-three for the team was a fantastic. The cars were amazing.
"I was surprised [Whincup and Lowndes] pitted as early as they did but they were racing each other."
While van Gisbergen claimed the spoils, another New Zealand driver took the initial limelight at Queensland Raceway as Chris Pither created history by picking up a first pole position for Kiwi team Super Black Racing.
Come race time, though, Pither was unable to maintain that qualifying speed and was soon forced back into the pack as the Triple Eight trio took control.
Once in front, Whincup and Lowndes matched each other with early pit stops and it soon began to look like the former was set to join the latter as just the second driver to win 100 Supercars races.
But van Gisbergen had other ideas, emerging from the pits with GETTY IMAGES speed to burn and quickly closing a seven second deficit to his teammates.
He made the initial pass on Lowndes after the veteran made a rare mistake and then produced a superb move on Whincup on the penultimate lap to grab the lead.
Despite missing out on joining Lowndes in the exclusive club, Whincup was gracious in defeat.
"We got a great start to the race and got preference with strategy," he said.