SHANE VAN GISBERGEN TAKES CHAOTIC TOWNSVILLE RACE 18

Shane van Gisbergen has survived a chaotic race in Townsville to take the win – Photo: InSyde Media

It was a fiery conclusion to Supercars Race 18 on the wet streets of Townsville as Shane van Gisbergen outlasted his rivals to take the win, which finished under control of the safety car.

The race was up for an exciting finish, but an explosive engine failure for Garry Jacobson forced the introduction of the safety car on lap 62, which led teams to call its drivers into pit lane including Nick Percat. It was a disaster stop as a coupling issue meant fuel spilt on pit lane and when Percat went to leave fire engulfed the team’s pit area and the rear of Percat’s Commodore of which he drove down to pit exit.

It was a dramatic race from the very start as David Reynolds tangled with championship leader Scott McLaughlin on the approach to Turn 2, damaging the steering rack on the Erebus Commodore and a puncture for the Kiwi, which resulted in 12th.

Damp conditions turned into severely wet in no time as seven-time champion Jamie Whincup found out. On the exit of Turn 6, Whincup went wide on the kerb and was thrown into the concrete wall, forcing him to stop with low oil pressure. This required the intervention of the safety car to remove the extensively damaged Commodore.

Upon the restart the rain continued to increase with Mark Winterbottom spinning Andre Heimgartner resulting in a further hit by Will Davison.

At this time Anton De Pasquale gambled on wets as the other teams pitted to take off slicks leaving the second-year driver in the lead, of which he held for most of the race but he needed fuel to meet the required drop allowing van Gisbergen to take the win.

Behind the RBHRT driver, Fabian Coulthard finished second ahead of a fast starting polesitter Cam Waters, De Pasquale, Chaz Mostert, Rick Kelly, James Golding, Lee Holdsworth, the returning Michael Caruso and Simona De Silvestro.

McLaughlin takes a 292-point lead to Queensland Raceway in three weeks time.

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