Van Gisbergen cuts rival’s lead
GOLD COAST: Holden driver Shane van Gisbergen has made a major dent in sidelined star Scott McLaughlin’s Supercars series lead after winning the Gold Coast 600’s final race.
Van Gisbergen made the most of McLaughlin’s absence after the Ford driver crashed out dramatically in qualifying, winning the 102lap race by 0.17 of a second from Holden teammate Jamie Whincup.
Van Gisbergen cut McLaughlin’s series lead from 613 to 463 points going into the final two rounds.
The next round is the Sandown 500 from November 810 which has 300 points up for grabs for the winner.
McLaughlin’s hopes of sealing the Supercars championship title yesterday were in tatters when he was ruled out of the Gold Coast finale after his horror accident.
McLaughlin’s Mustang hit an inside kerb at 140kmh at the tough concrete walllined street circuit and ended up on its side on turn four.
The Kiwi could have secured backtoback championships if he finished the Gold Coast 600 holding a 600point lead over van Gisbergen.
Now McLaughlin is firmly in van Gisbergen’s sights.
McLaughlin is also looking for a new ride, as his car was written off in the spectacular qualifying crash.
His Ford outfit, DJR Team Penske, is expected to build a new Mustang for the Sandown 500 showdown.
David Reynolds — assisted by codriver Luke Youlden — finished third yesterday, marking the first allHolden podium since the 2018 Sandown 500.
Van Gisbergen set himself up for victory yesterday when he claimed pole position.
His codriver, Garth Tander, kept his nerve at the race start, holding out the threat of Whincup’s teammate, Craig Lowndes, at the front of the grid to lead the field through a chaotic first lap.
Holden’s Todd Hazelwood copped a drivethrough penalty for sparking a multiplecar pileup at turn 11 on the opening lap.
Somehow a safety car was not required.
Whincup and Ford gun Cam Waters’ codriver Michael Caruso took turns as race frontrunners, but van Gisbergen showed his class when he reclaimed the lead on lap 62 after the compulsory two pit stops and never looked back.
It was a strong weekend for van Gisbergen’s Red Bull Racing Holden team.
On Saturday, Whincup won the 300km race from van Gisbergen, with McLaughlin third.
A fastfinishing van Gisbergen was told by the RBR garage to back off from Whincup on Saturday to ensure a Holden onetwo finish. — AAP