New Zealand’s Shane van Gisbergen comes home to Pukekohe with a chance to become the first Kiwi in two decades to win the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.
The Red Bull Racing driver paired with Frenchman Alex Premat for a win on Saturday and brilliant runner-up spot today at the Castrol Gold Coast 600.
Their performances mean they won the Pirtek Enduro Cup for the double-driver endurances races at Sandown where they were second; runners-up at Bathurst plus a win and second on the Gold Coast.
More importantly it means van Gisbergen will return home across the Tasman for the ITM Auckland SuperSprint in two weeks with an increased lead in the championship. He has a 148 point buffer over teammate Jamie Whincup as they return to the single driver stops, with only Pukekohe and a final stop in Sydney to complete the season.
“It’s pretty cool but we did that the hard way again today. I had to pass Mostert three times,” said van Gisbergen, after he was ordered to redress after twice riding too aggressively over the curbs in his passing manoeuvres.
“Alex did a great job and saved so much fuel that we could do an extra lap and allowed me to push hard to the end. It’s a great weekend with a first and a second and the Pirtek Cup so I am pretty stoked.”
With 300 points available for each round for the winner, it is possible that van Gisbergen to seal the title on home turf at the spiritual home of motorsport at the Pukekohe Park Raceway.
It proved a superb weekend for fellow New Zealander Scott McLaughlin, who with co-driver David Wall pushed the Volvo to runner-up spot behind van Gisbergen on Saturday and third today.
Van Gisbergen and McLaughlin took over the reins with both cars well back in the field but the young Kiwis producing remarkable charges through the field over the final 30 laps.
Van Gisbergen stormed through the pack to move within two seconds of leader Whincup with five laps remaining. But after his third warning for lunging too far over the curbs and with a potential drive-through penalty for a further infringement, his pit crew advised that caution was the better part of valour. He eased back to finish comfortably nine second behind.
McLaughlin produced an eye-catching display to buzz through the field after his team decided to stay out during an early safety car period. While it pushed them back to mid-pack, they did not need to conserve fuel like the others freeing up McLaughlin for an aggressive stint behind the wheel.
He had a tense moment locking all four-wheels to edge past defending Supercars champion Mark Winterbottom and stay clear of the unforgiving walls of the street circuit to nab the third place. With his tyres then all-but spent, he managed to hold off a late charge from Craig Lowndes to grab their second podium of the weekend, and move him up to fourth overall in the championship.
It was not such a good day for the other Kiwi main drivers. Fabian Coulthard’s DJR Team Penske Ford crew faced an all-night job to repair his car after he was taken out in a scary high-speed crash on Saturday. He had to be content with 15th place today although it was a remarkable effort to get the car on the track and competitive today.
A passing error ended with a broken steering arm for Super Black Racing’s Richie Stanaway early in the race meaning Chris Pither never got into the car, which was the same for Auckland’s Andre Heimgartner in the Plus Fitness Holden.
Best of the New Zealand co-drivers was Steven Richards who partnered with Lowndes for fourth place,
Teams face a busy few days to prepare cars for the air freight shipment to Auckland in readiness for the ITM Auckland SuperSprint on 4-6 November.
ITM Auckland SuperSprint 4-6 November:
Buy a 3-day Platinum Reserved Grandstand ticket for the ITM Auckland SuperSprint before Tuesday 1 November to secure a limited edition lanyard and Greg Murphy endorsed ticket pouch. Plus, two lucky random grandstand ticket holders will be rewarded with the opportunity to meet Greg Murphy. These ‘Surprise and Delight’ prizes will be randomly given to two lucky people sitting in the grandstand on Saturday.
Grandstand seats are selling fast, get in quick to ensure you receive your money can’t buy Greg Murphy endorsed ticket pouch and limited edition lanyard. Lanyards and ticket pouches will be available from the information booth at the event from Friday 4 November. If you already purchased a 3-day Platinum Reserved Grandstand ticket, you will also be entitled to receive a limited edition lanyard and ticket holder.
Tickets are on sale from as little as $29. Three-day trackside is priced from $100 with children aged 12 and under free trackside admission with a paying adult. Fanstands are from just $65 for a single day or $110 for three days and Platinum Reserved Grandstands with Paddock Pass priced at $300.
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