SCOTT McLaughlin hopes his sixth place finish at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 will help cement his place as a full-time driver in the V8 Supercars Championship next year.
The Dunlop Series driver teamed with Jonathon Webb in the Tekno Autosports #19 Commodore in his first Bathurst 1000, finishing the race as the highest placed rookie.
“It really was a dream come true for me and my family,” says McLaughlin.
“We thought a top 10 result would be awesome, anywhere near top five feels like getting on the podium.”
The winner of two rounds of the Dunlop Series this year, the Gold Coast-based Kiwi hopes his efforts will help secure a full-time V8 Supercar drive next year.
“I kept it on the road and hopefully I’ve proven myself a little bit, as well as my results in the Dunlop Series,” he told BigPond Sport.
“Last year I was considered for a seat with Garry Rogers Motorsport, so that was a feat in itself. I feel comfortable that I can make the step up.
“I’m definitely talking to people (V8 Supercar team owners) at the moment. I know a few of them were watching to see how I went at Bathurst.
“Sandown was a challenge, but Bathurst, in the main game, doing all the media plus double duties in the Dunlop Series, I had a lot on my hands – they might have been seeing whether or not I could stay focused. Whether that comes to fruition or not for next year, time will tell.”
McLaughlin admits he was determined not to be seen as a one-event wonder after also faring well at the Dick Smith Sandown 500, finishing 10th on debut.
“Honesty I was a bit worried,” says McLaughlin.
“At Sandown I knew the track and knew my race pace would be there. Bathurst was always going to be a whole new challenge.
“It was good for me and my confidence, especially also doing well with the last two rounds in the Dunlop Series.”
McLaughlin was the standout rookie performer at Bathurst, but others to impress included the youngest duo to compete in the history of the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, Shannons Supercar Showdown duo Jesse Dixon and Cameron Waters.
Driving the oldest car in the field, the two young guns finished 20th and even stayed on the lead lap for nearly the first half of the 161-lap classic.
The team’s best lap time of 2m12.0642s was only 2.5 seconds off the fastest lap of the race set by Shane van Gisbergen.
Another rookie who fared well was Austrian ex-Formula 1 driver Christian Klien. He and Russell Ingall finished ninth in the Supercheap Auto Racing Commodore.
Fujitsu Racing’s Frenchman Alex Premat was 16th in his Mountain debut with Jack Perkins, while the fifth rookie, Scott Pye, failed to finish after engine problems in the iSelect Commodore he shared with Taz Douglas.
McLaughlin and Pye will be back in action in the sixth and penultimate round of the Dunlop Series at Winton on November 16-18.
