SUPERCARS RACE 8 – THE LION RETURNS

Shane van Gisbergen broke the Ford Mustang stranglehold on the 2019 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship with victory in the final race of the Tyrepower Tasmania Supersprint a Symmons Plains, while Scott McLaughlin was a rare absentee from the podium after a fourth-place finish.

McLaughlin’s hopes for another double victory took a blow in qualifying, where he only managed to record the 5th fastest time behind Shane van Gisbergen, Fabian Coulthard, David Reynolds and Mark Winterbottom. He fared better though than Jamie Whincup, whose wretched weekend continued with the 13th fastest time.

Light rain became a factor at the start and returned later to add spice to the final stages of the race. The conditions were well received by the Kiwis at the head of the field as van Gisbergen led Coulthard off the line. McLaughlin and Winterbottom also jumped away well and both leapfrogged Reynolds by turn 3.  Coulthard dropped away from van Gisbergen in the opening stint and was the first of the leaders to pit on lap 24. Winterbottom stopped a few laps later but lost ground with a heavier fuel load for the middle stage of the race.

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By the time van Gisbergen pitted on lap 29, Coulthard had made good use of his second set of tyres and took the lead after McLaughlin allowed his Shell V-Power teammate to pass. Shane van Gisbergen emerged behind McLaughlin and the pair made contact before the #97 moved into 2nd at turn 7 with Coulthard a further 2.5 seconds ahead.

McLaughlin reported a possible flat spot on his tyre and waved Reynolds through as he looked to salvage as may points as possible from the race.

The order remained the same after the final round of stops, with van Gisbergen in front of Coulthard Reynolds and McLaughlin. Anton De Pasquale was on course for his best result in the championship before his gear lever worked loose. He dropped to last and finished with the car stuck in 4th gear, some two laps behind the winner.

Shane van Gisbergen held a comfortable lead as Coulthard came under attack from Reynolds. The Penrite sponsored Erebus Commodore temporarily grabbed 2nd on lap 66 but then ran wide in the greasy conditions at turn 7 as the rain returned. Fabian Coulthard held a 1.6 second gap, which he held to the finish. Shane van Gisbergen broke the Holden drought for 2019 with the win, from Fabian Coulthard, David Reynolds, Scott McLaughlin, Jamie Whincup, Mark Winterbottom, Nick Percat, Scott Pye, Lee Holdsworth and Chaz Mostert.

“Ah, man, good to get one back,” said van Gisbergen. “Awesome race, Fabian kept getting me out of the pits, had a good battle with him and Scotty. Made a huge step forward with the car. Thanks to RBHRT. It’s been a mega weekend to bounce back from our shocker last time.”

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