McLaughlin sets sights on Supercars threepeat
Back-to-back Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin says he’ll be out for a threepeat next year as a move to America can wait.
The Kiwi driver had already wrapped up this year’s title before last weekend’s final round of the season in Newcastle.
But it was still a big weekend for his DJR Team Penske team as he and Fabian Coulthard also took the team championship crown, which means they’ll have the advantage of being at the front of pit lane next season.
It’s been an incredible year for the Christchurch-born McLaughlin, who also won the Bathurst 1000, which was one of his record breaking 18 wins over the season. He also had 16 pole positions, 18 fastest laps and 20 podiums.
No Supercars driver has ever had a season like this and yesterday he said he wanted to come back for more.
‘‘We’d love to do the hat-trick,’’ McLaughlin told Stuff.
‘‘We’ll have a big crack at it and see how we go, but it’s also one of those deals where what drives you is winning and winning for the team you’re in.
‘‘I’m really excited for that. It’s just bettering yourself as a driver, that motivation is always going to be there and hopefully I can have a real big crack again next year.’’
Eventually McLaughlin will race Nascar in the United States, but he’s always said he won’t do that until he’s achieved everything he wants in Supercars.
Given that he’s not moving yet, it’s clear he wants to go down as one of the greatest drivers of all time in the category and believes he can still do more, as well as improve as a driver in Supercars.
‘‘Absolutely, you never stop trying,’’ he said.
‘‘Jamie [Whincup] has won seven [titles], Murph (Greg Murphy) had four Bathurst wins and I’d love to win as much as I can and just keep ticking goals.
‘‘But like I said, my goals have all been ticked now, but that doesn’t really change much, I just focus on bettering myself and helping the team better itself.’’
McLaughlin may have looked fresh when speaking to the media yesterday morning, but his croaky voice gave it away that he’d had a big night and not much sleep, just like last year.
‘‘It wasn’t small! I love a party!’’ He laughed.
‘‘I enjoyed the night well into the early hours of the morning and it was a really cool few hours.
‘‘The celebrations were pretty good to be honest, they were definitely on par [with 2018],’’ he said.
‘‘Winning the team championship was a huge feat for the team and everyone’s stoked about that.
‘‘But winning the drivers’ championship as well, was the icing on the cake.
‘‘2018 was a bit different, because it was just one, but to win the teams [title] this year was great and obviously there was Bathurst too.’’
Last year during his post-race celebrations in Newcastle he visited a local McDonalds, taking the trophy with him and filling it up with chicken McNuggets, working out that you can fit 40 of them inside it.
He and his team did the same on Sunday night, this time also taking the team’s championship trophy too, however, he can’t remember how many nuggets they fitted into the trophies.
‘‘I wasn’t in as good a shape as I was last year, so my counting wasn’t as crash hot!’’
While it’s been an incredible year for McLaughlin, it’s not been without its controversy as his team was penalised for a couple of infringements during the Bathurst weekend.
Rival drivers such as David Reynolds, Nick Percat and Scott Pye have claimed both McLaughlin’s Bathurst victory and the title are tainted because DJR Team Penske had broken rules.