Van Gisbergen wants more
Breakthrough triumph for New Zealand driver
Shane van Gisbergen wants to be a multiple Supercars champion after claiming his first title at the Sydney 500 this weekend.
The 27-year-old Kiwi won yesterday’s race around the Olympic Park, having confirmed himself as the 2016 champion the previous day.
He drives in other motor racing categories around the world when he can slot them around the Supercars schedule, but he says he has no plans to move away from the biggest motor racing series in Australasia.
‘‘At this stage it’s definitely what I always want to do this,’’ van Gisbergen said.
‘‘The changes for the future are exciting and when things are changing and evolving it’s always good and a new challenge is always welcome.
‘‘With the new motors and cars in a year or two, that’s going to be great and we’ll see where it goes in the future.
‘‘But as I said yesterday, this is the best series, the best drivers, the best racing. So for the foreseeable future I’ll be here.’’
Van Gisbergen started the race on the front row and although Garth Tander and James Courtney held the lead at times, the Kiwi was clearly the fastest driver and once in front midway through the race, he never looked like relinquishing it.
After finishing it, van Gisbergen pulled out the highly anticipated burnout in his Red Bull Holden, filling the air in a large part of Western Sydney with smoke from the rubber.
‘‘I’ve won this race the last three years and never been able to do a burnout, so hopefully that made up for it,’’ van Gisbergen smiled.
‘‘It was pretty cool, speedway and Nascar style with the flag and I hooked into it. It was a pretty awesome feeling up against the fence, in front of all the guys.’’
There was further delight for New Zealand motorsport fans on the day as Scott McLaughlin managed to finish ahead of Craig Lowndes to grab third place in the championship.
Tander was second in the race, David Reynolds third and Jamie Whincup fourth.
It’s the second year in a row Whincup has missed out on the championship.
It is the first time there have been two Kiwis in the top three of this championship. But there wasn’t much luck for the other New Zealanders in the race.
Fabian Coulthard crashed into a reversing Cam Waters, causing significant amount of damage.
‘‘It was very disappointing to then be involved in an accident like that,’’ Coulthard said.
Chris Pither, in possibly the final time Super Black Racing will be in this category, finished 20th and Andre Heimgartner was in 21st place.