SVG roars into Kiwi folklore
SHANE van Gisbergen achieved a lifetime dream at the Sydney 500 yesterday by winning the 2016 Supercars title and he did it in dramatic fashion.
The 27-year-old New Zealander, who usually tries to give few emotions away, couldn’t contain his joy at being the first Kiwi to win this title in 25 years and he did it in the most stunning way possible.
Although he started on pole position, he got off to a bad start then made his situation worse by copping a drive through pitlane penalty for hitting Mark Winterbottom. Midway through the race he was 22nd and needing to finish in the top five for the title, it looked as if he’d have to wait until today’s race to make that happen.
But a stoke of luck put him up to ninth when a safety car came out 20 laps from the end after Dale Wood crashed gave him hope.
He then produced a motor racing masterclass to shoot himself up to third, making Jamie Whincup’s race win meaningless.
‘‘It’s a pretty awesome feeling,’’ van Gisbergen said afterwards.
‘‘I didn’t really know how to approach the race.
‘‘We knew what job we had to do, we had step one of that in the morning in qualifying, then in the race I knew people would take advantage if they had a shot and I was just too conservative.
‘‘I got bumped around at turn one and let everyone go and then at two I got a hit.
‘‘There was a bit of carnage, but then passing back through I wasn’t assertive enough like I normally am. I hesitated and it cost us.
‘‘Once I was in that position I had nothing to lose, I went crazy and hit everything except other people, which was good. It was a pretty awesome day.
‘‘I got back through to third, I saw my father and mum and my team and everyone was so stoked and myself included.
‘‘It’s been a pretty awesome few years in the series and now to be the champion of the sport is a lifetime goal.’’
It was that safety car that proved to be the turning point. Up to then his mindset was on not conceding too many points to Whincup ahead of Sunday’s race, but he then realised he could wrap it up right now.
He picked off the cars in front of him in a ruthless fashion, yet still retaining enough control not to make the same mistake when trying to pass Winterbottom earlier.
‘‘I knew if there wasn’t a safety car we wouldn’t have a chance for a good result,’’ he said.
‘‘I think we came out ninth on brand new tyres and that’s when I knew I had a good chance to come through. ‘‘I went easy for the first few laps and then started picking them off, all of the way through.
I needed to pass Scotty (McLaughlin) to help Craig (Lowndes) in the championship, got him front of him then James was so slow he couldn’t get out of his own way.
‘‘I was trying to go slow to save my spot, but Scotty was attacking me. I didn’t really want to pass James but he forced me to.’’
While van Gisbergen has clinched the title, McLaughlin has moved up to third in the standings with his fourth place finish and holds a nine-point lead over Lowndes. WHEN Jim Richards triumphed triumphed in what was known as the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1991, few would have predicted that it would take 25 years for another Kiwi to win the championship.
Shane van Gisbergen won the 2016 Supercars title at the Sydney 500 yesterday to end that quarter of a century drought and it was fitting that Richards was on hand to witness the event and see the baton passed over.
‘‘He’s one of the best out there for sure and we’ve seen it coming over the years,’’ Richards said of van Gisbergen’s feat.
‘‘He’s had flashes of brilliance, but this year his new team Triple Eight brought out a calmness in him, so he’s racing at all costs in every race.
‘‘He thinks about it more now and if it’s too risky he’ll take second place.
‘‘He has more of a profes- sional attitude maturity.
‘‘But I think it’s great that Shane has won it and got it over and done with and now he can go for it in the second race.’’
It could be said that New Zealand is enjoying a golden age of motorsport, Scott Dixon excelling in IndyCar, Hayden Paddon tasting success in the World Rally Championship, while Earl Bamber won last year’s prestigious Le Mans 24 hour race.
‘‘It’s fantastic, but it’s always been that way,’’ Richards said.
‘‘Kiwis have been in Formula One with Denny Hulme, Chris Amon and Bruce McLaren and all of those guys years ago.
‘‘The only reason why Kiwis don’t get more of a go over here in Australia is because you’ve got to arrive from New Zealand, no one knows you here and you’ve got to hop into the most competitive touring car class in and more
Once I was in that position I had nothing to lose, I went crazy and hit everything except other people.’ SHANE VAN GISBERGEN