A safety-first third place finish in the season finale was enough to crown Scott McLaughlin the 2012 Dunlop Series for V8 Supercars champion at Sydney Olympic Park today.

McLaughlin got the jump in his Fujitsu Racing Falcon at the start from Scott Pye, but he conceded without challenge to both Pye and Chaz Mostert on the opening lap and a half.

McLaughlin then kept Dale Wood at bay to take a comfortable third position to become the youngest ever Development series winner.

Pye in the Triple Eight Commodore led every lap to win the race and wrap up second place in the title, however he was pushed all the way by Ford Performance Racing’s Mostert. Both drivers lapped under the lap record on multiple occasions as they held nothing back.

Pye was as relieved as he was happy about claiming the win.

“It was a tough race. I didn’t have too high an expectation, but I feel it (the win) has been coming for a long time.”

Mostert finished second right on Pye’s bumper but was never able to get alongside to make the move and had to be content with runner up on the day and third in the title.

Dale Wood brought his GB Galvanizing Commodore home in fourth ahead of the Coates Hire Commodore of Nick Percat, who brought the Coates Hire Commodore from 18th to fifth and claimed the lap record, a 1m29.2159s, along the way.

On the podium a jubilant McLaughlin was thankful and grateful to the team that had helped him achieve the title.

“I couldn’t have done this without my boys. We’ve had three years of ups and downs. I have to thank Ross and Jimmy (Stone), they’ve stuck by… This is awesome.”

McLaughlin won the title by 76 points from Pye, who had an admirable debut season, while Mostert was 23 points further back.

For the young FPR driver, he will rue the 100 points in penalties he incurred – having lost the title by 96.

Despite breaking the lap record three times during the race, even that was taken from him at the end by arch-rival Percat, who still claimed fourth in the title race.

“It was a tough race. I didn’t have too high an expectation, but I feel it (the win) has been coming for a long time.”

The Dunlop Series will rev back into life next year at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.