The sky was filled with fireworks after Supercars first night race in more than 20 years last weekend – but for fans of the sport it’s the on-track fireworks that were even more worthy of attention.
THERE have been few more compelling racing laps this year, in any series, than the three or four tours that saw Supercars’ latest megastars Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin battling for the lead in the Sydney SuperNight 300 last Saturday night.
Here were two contrasting characters, hailing from the same part of the world and having drunk from the deep talent pool that exists in New Zealand, yet driving for opposing brands represented by the two best teams in the sport.
And on a cool Saturday evening in Sydney’s West, they put on quite the show.
In front was McLaughlin, who despite eighteen months of Penske ‘corporatisation’ retains the same boyish ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this’ glint in his eyes that so endeared him to Aussie fans several years ago, battling to hold on to a car that had stopped earlier and thus had tyres no longer endowed with the full flush of youth.
Behind, van Gisbergen. Steely-eyed, sometimes Raikkonen-like in his demeanour and in the way he dislikes the media and basically anything that got in the way of him just driving really fast.
Which, of course, the former champion does better than almost anyone. Shane had new rubber, too.
Thus, when the green dropped on the final restart these two went on it and even though the next three cars were piloted by Craig Lowndes, Chaz Mostert and Jamie Whincup, respectively, it was the Kiwi’s everyone watched.
Despite his tyre disadvantage, McLaughlin was pin-point accurate in his defence while van Gisbergen nibbled at his rear bumper, nudging and telegraphing his intentions that he hoped would result in a race win and three hundred priceless championship points.
When the freight train exited turn six and rattled up the hill towards turn seven – blind, undulating and deceptively quick – there was almost disaster as van Gisbergen’s run up the inside was rebutted and the pair collided; McLaughlin sawing at the wheel as his red and white Falcon responded to the hit with a slew of Commodore-induced oversteer. It was as close to an accident you could possibly have, without it ending in any more damage than the need for some paint here or there.
Eventually van Gisbergen worked his way through at turn three when the Falcon hit pickup on the road and understeered wide. Whincup soon pounced and delivered the factory Holden team an emphatic one-two while McLaughlin settled for third, feeling like a win had gone begging had it not been for the late intervention of the Safety car. Still, that’s the way the cookie crumbles some times.
The best thing was that while the kids ‘oohed and ahhed’ at the fireworks above Western Sydney soon after the race finished, those who know the game looked at that battle and knew that the real fireworks still lie ahead.
Less than 90 points now separate these two at the top of the championship order, with third-placed Whincup more than 400 behind. Assuming both survive the endurance races – 900 points are up for grabs across Sandown, Bathurst and the Gold Coast – it’s hard to see anyone other than Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen battling for the championship this year.
That thought becomes more compelling having seen the way they raced on Saturday.
Though Scott was properly ‘gutted’ with third, and Shane gave little away (aside from smoke from his burnout) for winning, both agreed that was the way racing should be.
SVG said Scott defended ‘about to the limit’ of what is considered reasonable, while the Ford driver said van Gisbergen’s morse code on his rear bar was exactly what he expects in this form of racing.
If what they delivered in August – six rounds from home – is any guide, just imagine them nose-to-tail on the final restart in Newcastle. That’ll be fireworks, folks.
Night Lights
ON raw numbers alone it’s impossible to under-sell the impact of the first Australian Supercars night-race in 21 years.
The Saturday evening attendance of 22,220 was the biggest at Sydney Motorsport Park in years.
For comparison, the two Saturday evening National Rugby League games held in the same city on the same night drew 6158 and 9721, respectively – and this is in the NRL’s stronghold.
TV ratings were up and there was near unanimous agreement that the show was a winner.
Questions will remain over the format (the late safety car saved an otherwise boring race, though not every race can be a thriller) and how it will translate to other venues.
But it’s a big tick in the box – not just for Supercars but for the sport in general – as our code tries to find ways to compete in the same market as footy, cricket and more.
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