Home track advantage at Pukekohe could provide the difference for Kiwi teammates Scott McLaughlin and Fabian Coulthard as they chase title hopes in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.
McLaughlin, with co-driver Alex Premat , produced a stunning performance to win the second race at the Vodafone Gold Coast 600 today, to move them back into championship contention, while Shell Racing teammate Coulthard with Tony D’Alberto, jumped from 19th on the grid to finish ninth.
Red Bull Racing’s Jamie Whincup, second behind McLaughlin today, moves into the lead for the first time but with only 17 points to Coulthard and a further 10 to McLaughlin. There are 300 points up for grabs at the ITM Auckland SuperSprint at Pukekohe on 3-5 November and also at the finale at Newcastle.
Also not out of contention is current champion and fellow Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen, in fifth place, after finishing on the podium on both days on the Gold Coast, including a brilliant effort to put the Red Bull Racing Holden on pole today.
A strong opening stint from Premat lifted the Shell Ford into contention from 13th on the grid, before McLaughlin leapfrogged all three Commodores with a daring early second stop.
The early final stop didn’t affect McLaughlin’s pace in the final stint, but it did result in him pushing the car back to the pitlane after a celebration burnout used the last of its fuel.
“I don’t mind pushing my car if it’s pushing it into victory lane,” beamed McLaughlin. “Alex did an unbelievable job in the first stint. He set us up. This is so good after Bathurst.
“It’s going to be so exciting to go home now to race on my favourite track at Pukekohe.”
Whincup said he was pleased with the result, given the championship picture.
“The combination of pace and being a bit more aggressive on strategy meant they deserved the win, congrats to them,” he said. “It’s all good. We’re obviously happy with the result.”
Premat had risen from 13th on the grid with a series of sharp overtakes, putting the Shell Ford into the top five. The #17 Falcon closed down the gap to van Gisbergen and Craig Lowndes in the second stint and, on lap 61, dived in early for its second stop.
Van Gisbergen and Lowndes came in two laps later and, despite the Falcon being momentarily stuck behind Dale Wood on the outlap, both rejoined behind McLaughlin.
Whincup suffered the same fate when he took his final stop two laps later again.
Defying theories that he’d need to slow and save fuel following the early stop, McLaughlin edged away in the final stint as Whincup started to struggle for rear tyre life.
There was to be no late twist, however, with McLaughlin securing his first win since Queensland Raceway in August and get his title chances back on track.
Lowndes was not a factor in the second half of the race but held on for a fine fourth alongside co-driver Steven Richards, albeit 20 seconds behind the winner.
Mark Winterbottom/Dean Canto produced a solid performance for fifth ahead of James Courtney/Jack Perkins and Saturday winners Chaz Mostert/Steve Owen.
The result was enough for Mostert and Owen to secure the victory in the PIRTEK Enduro Cup, after nearest rivals and team-mates Cameron Waters and Kiwi Richie Stanaway found early trouble.
Stanaway bent the Monster Falcon’s steering by making contact with Richards on lap 18, resulting in a trip to the garage and a 21st place finish.
Those to strike trouble included Tim Slade/Andre Heimgartner, whose race came undone when the Kiwi was spun into the Turn 11 wall by Dean Fiore on lap four.
Bathurst winner Luke Youlden clobbered the wall at the exit of the beach chicane on lap 14, requiring a stint in the garage for the Penrite Holden he shared with David Reynolds.
Coulthard, who came into the weekend in the lead of the championship, found his car well out of sorts in the wet on Saturday and in qualifying today, but they recovered well to finish ninth.
He now looks to support partner Becky Lamb with the couple expecting twins this week, before he heads to his hometown of Auckland for what promises to be an exciting weekend.
Tickets are on sale at Ticketek for the ITM Auckland SuperSprint, which will be decided on a new format with two longer 200km races on each of Saturday and Sunday. Family concessions mean kids 12 and under get access to trackside free (with a paying adult). Grandstand ticket prices are better value than ever with single day grandstand tickets available.
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