SVG vows to put it all on the line
In the 2006 movie Talladega Nights, Ricky Bobby said about motor racing ‘‘if you ain’t first you’re last’’ – and that’s never been truer about today’s Bathurst 1000.
Because Kiwi flyer Scott McLaughlin has a massive 598-point lead in the championship, he can focus solely on the great race, knowing he doesn’t really need to think about points to claim back to back Supercars titles.
But while that’s a great plan for McLaughlin, the flip side of it is that all the other drivers know they can’t catch him for the championship and can go all out for a Bathurst win.
So for Shane van Gisbergen, there’s a fair element of truth in the actor Will Farrell’s famous line in the movie.
‘‘Pretty much,’’ the Kiwi said. ‘‘You’re not last, you’re still in a good spot, but really we all race to win and unfortunately this year that team and Scotty have been a class above. It’s been a tough one, but it is what it is.’’
Because the championship has all but been decided, there is an extra buzz about this year’s great race. It always dwarfs the rest of the Supercars season and it’s even more so the case this time. No-one has got anything to lose, but everything to gain.
‘‘I think that’s what has hyped this race up,’’ van Gisbergen said.
‘‘No-one cares about the championship anymore, everyone just wants to win this race.
‘‘Listening to what everyone’s been saying, everyone’s pretty pumped about this race.
‘‘That’s a good thing and hopefully it means there is more interest around the race.’’
This will be the 30-year-old van Gisbergen’s 14th Bathurst 1000. His best result was coming second in 2016, finishing just 0.1434 seconds behind Will Davison, for the closest finish in the history of the race.
In 2014 he was leading with 11 laps to go, but stalled when his starter motor failed in his final pitstop.
Then in 2017 he was leading before making a mistake at Murray’s Corner at a safety car restart, an error that cost him the race.
Van Gisbergen doesn’t yet have the status of being the Nearly Man of Bathurst, but it is heading that way.
‘‘It doesn’t owe me anything,’’ van Gisbergen said of the great race.
‘I’ve had some good races here and I’ve often been in with a shot.
‘‘So for me, we’ve got to make sure everything’s right and this weekend’s it’s even tougher, because there is no Sandown to get a feel for it and learn the codriver.
‘‘We’re straight into it, so it all comes down to preparation and we’ve been pushing so hard the last few weeks to make sure everything’s right.’’
Van Gisbergen has arguably got the best of the co-drivers for this year’s race, teaming up with three-time Bathurst champion Garth Tander, who lost his seat as a main game driver last season for sponsorship rather than driving ability reasons.
With there not being an endurance round of the championship before Bathurst this year, Tander’s experience could be invaluable.
‘‘It certainly Gisbergen said.
‘‘But you’ve still got to get everything right on the day and there are probably 15 cars that
‘‘No-one cares about the championship anymore, everyone just wants to win this race.’’ Shane van Gisbergen
helps,’’ van can win if they get it right. That’s how good this series is now, so it’s going to be tough.’’
Tander has appeared to be enjoying his co-driver role this week, where he’s been able to drive without so much pressure on him.
‘‘Shane has been really open and welcoming,’’ Tander said.
‘‘We knew each other very well prior to this anyway, but this is a new relationship.
‘‘It’s his environment, his car and I’m the new guy coming in. But he’s been fantastic.
‘‘I’m not going to lie, it’s been weird, I’ve spent my whole life racing against Triple Eight, so it was odd walking into the garage for the first time.’’