The Bend causes havoc in Adelaide

They were warned they would be driven around The Bend.

Still, it came as a surprise yesterday when Supercars series leader Scott McLaughlin ‘‘looked like a Gumby’’ as some of the biggest names came unstuck at the category’s newest track — The Bend in South Australia.

Holden gun Shane van Gisbergen – one of only a handful of drivers to have competed at the remote track – delivered an ominous warning before practice, saying rivals would be ‘‘caught out’’ by the Tailem Bend circuit, an hour outside Adelaide.

But it seems nothing could quite prepare them for their first taste of the A$110 million (NZ$120.5 million) circuit.

Ford gun McLaughlin was among those who ran off the track in opening practice before seven-time series champion Jamie Whincup and Holden legend Craig Lowndes were the high profile scalps in yesterday’s second 45-minute session.

When the dust settled on yesterday’s practice, overall fastest was van Gisbergen who clocked a lap of one minute, 48.74 seconds in the second session ahead of Whincup, who recovered from his eventful start, and Holden’s local hope Tim Slade.

The Bend is making its Supercars debut and certainly lived up to its name, featuring 18 turns on the 4.95km track — not that any of the drivers had to be reminded.

Whincup may be an official ambassador for the track but was given no favours, coming off the track during second practice before Lowndes careered off several times including twice on the same lap.

Lowndes finished 27th fastest in the 28-strong field in the second session.

The signs were ominous in the opening session when McLaughlin was one of the bigname victims, coming off at several turns to finish 18th fastest.

‘‘It was loose. I had so many offs. I looked like a Gumby,’’ McLaughlin laughed. ‘‘For these cars it [the track] is quite a challenge . . . it is like X Games.’’

McLaughlin holds an 89-point lead over van Gisbergen, who enjoyed a Tailem Bend track stint driving a McLaren in the Australian GT race in April.

The Bend is the first permanent track unveiled on the Supercars circuit since Ipswich’s Queensland Raceway in 1999.

It has multiple layouts, the longest being 7.7km, making it the second longest permanent race circuit in the world behind only Germany’s legendary The Nurburgring.

The maiden The Bend SuperSprint round features a 120km race today before tomorrow’s 200km finale.