Shane van Gisbergen has moved closer to his first Virgin Australia SupercarsChampionship with a commanding win at the Castrol Gold Coast 600.
This year paired with Alex Premat, the quick Kiwi won his third consecutive Saturday race at the street circuit.
The race went green with two laps to go after a massive accident for Fabian Coulthard on lap 96 of 102 after a touch with Garth Tander on the front straight, left the DJR Team Penske car a wreck on the 265km/hour front straight.
Coulthard was helped out of the car, as DJR TP managing director saying his driver was ok.
Tander was promptly dealt a pit lane penalty on lap 100, and a 10-grid spot penalty for tomorrow’s race.
Even a 10-second penalty for co-driver Premat after an incorrect safety car restart couldn’t stop a charging Van Gisbergen in the race the quick Kiwi holding out Scott McLaughlin.
Both drivers are traditionally strong here, but the Commodore prevailed over Volvo, with Whincup slotting in third.
“It’s pretty cool, an unfortunate penalty, we fought back, the car was amazing,” van Gisbergen said.
“Alex was super fast as well – a great day, we’ll try again tomorrow.”
The result was Volvo co-driver David Wall’s first Supercars podium in second with Scott McLaughlin, and teammates James Moffat and James Golding finishing fifth behind Mark Winterbottom-Dean Canto. Winterbottom was the only primary driver to start the race and paid off after they started ninth.
Bathurst winner Jonathon Webb created chaos on lap one, hitting Dean Fiore’s Nissan into Craig Baird in the Erebus car, and sending Karl Reindler in the air.
Later tapping the wall, the Reindler/Lee Holdsworth entry retired along with Cameron Waters/Jack Le Brocq, and Nick Percat/Cameron McConville also were involved in significant accidents.
