SVG wins as Scott empties tank
Shane van Gisbergen won an incredible race over Scott McLaughlin at the Newcastle 500 yesterday, with McLaughlin running out of fuel on the last lap.
It looked as if McLaughlin had done enough to win the race and edge closer to taking this year’s title as he had a 6-second lead over van Gisbergen with a few laps to go. But around the last few corners of the final lap McLaughlin slowed significantly and at the hairpin van Gisbergen was past him.
McLaughlin’s Ford only just made it over the finish line and he had to park up his car on the track and walk back to the pits.
If McLaughlin had kept his lead he would have had a 26-point lead in the championship and could have secured the title by finishing third today.
Instead, van Gisbergen is just two points behind McLaughlin and the equation is simple for today’s race. Whoever is the first across the finish line is the champion.
This could not get any bigger for today, or more gripping.
‘‘We were that close,’’ McLaughlin said. ‘‘I thought we were good for a while but the calls [over the radio] started to get more intense. Look, she’s on . . . Whoever finishes ahead of the other wins. Bring it on.’’
Van Gisbergen proved by racing until the end anything could happen. For the record Erebus Penrite Racing’s David Reynolds finished third.
‘‘What a race, and that sets up tomorrow [today]. Two teams fighting hard. What a day,’’ he said. ‘‘I thought it was all over. At one stage I saw about four Datsuns [Nissans] in front and had no idea how I was going to get past them. I knew they would have to pit. Just epic, epic race.
‘‘It’s winner take all now. It really sets up the battle. I look forward to tomorrow, good luck to them but I hope we get it.’’
Red Bull Racing had a front row lockout on the starting grid, with McLaughlin and Fabian Coulthard on the second row.
From the start, Red Bull’s Jamie Whincup got into the lead, with van Gisbergen second, while Coulthard was third and McLaughlin fourth. Team orders soon came into play, with Whincup and Coulthard letting their team-mates pass.
Whincup drove at a pace to allow van Gisbergen to build a lead, while managing to stop McLaughlin getting past and by lap six van Gisbergen already had a 2.5sec lead over McLaughlin.
The DJR Penske team played the tactic of bringing Coulthard in for a quick stop and on lap 17 Whincup came in for fuel, but van Gisbergen had a 6sec lead ahead of McLaughlin by then.
Drama happened on lap 23 when Whincup tried to pass Coulthard. He got ahead, but Coulthard had momentum for the next corner and the cars clashed, putting Whincup into the tyre wall.
With 49 laps to go, McLaughlin was second and van Gisbergen seventh.
Ten laps later, McLaughlin was in the lead and van Gisbergen fourth and it was clear both drivers were trying to make it to the finish without taking on more fuel.
With 33 laps to go, Chaz Mostert then put his car into the wall, to push van Gisbergen up to third.
Scott Pye came in for fuel with 19 laps to go to advance van Gisbergen to second, but with a 6sec gap between him and McLaughlin.
That gap came down over the last few laps as McLaughlin’s comfortable lead evaporated, just like the remaining fuel in his tank.
It was van Gisbergen’s eighth win of the season and a crucial one.