Supercars: How McLaughlin secured the Triple at Darwin

William Holmes

For the second consecutive weekend, the Virgin Atlantic Supercars Championship raced at Darwin’s Hidden Valley Race Track.

Thanks to a solid set of results in the first round, Scott McLaughlin continued to lead the point’s tally.

However, it was main rival, Jamie Whincup, who bagged the event’s overall crown, looking to close a tense 100 point deficit.

Race 16

Whincup secured an impressive pole position on Saturday’s Shootout session, but could not hold off a charging McLaughlin from launch. The Shell V-Power Mustang held its position from Turn 1 all the way to the flag, 38 laps later.

Looking to perform an unexpected overcut on McLaughlin, Whincup pitted for two rear tyres a lap later than the series’ leader, but was to no avail. The Red Bull Holden crossed the line 2.5secs behind McLaughlin’s Mustang when the flag dropped, with Cam Waters claiming his first podium finish since Adelaide in February.

A healthy selection of midfield battles entertained throughout – Chaz Mostert’s pass on Mark Winterbottom proved to be the pick of bunch, glued to the side of the Team 18 Commodore for more than half a lap. Shane van Gisbergen’s overtake on Fabian Coulthard at the final corner was another notable spectacle.

After the race, McLaughlin said:

“The start was really pivotal, to be able to get in front of Jamie there into Turn 1 and be able to do my own race from then on. It was very tight but got there in the end.”

Race 16’s Top 10:

  1. Scott McLaughlin (F)*
  2. Jamie Whincup (H)
  3. Cam Waters (F)
  4. James Courtney (F)
  5. Nick Percat (H)
  6. Anton De Pasquale (H)
  7. Lee Holdsworth (F)
  8. Shane van Gisbergen (H)
  9. Chaz Mostert (H)
  10. Fabian Coulthard (F)

*Note – “H” indicates Holden, “F” indicates Ford.

Credit: Shell V-Power Racing Team

Race 17

McLaughlin controlled the second race of the weekend, starting on pole, and leading the pack into the first corner ahead of SVG. Teammate Coulthard also made a superb getaway, challenging for second at Turn 1 despite starting down in sixth.

van Gisbergen defended from the Shell V-Power Mustang bravely, and secured P2 – the position he would cross the line in 38 laps later. Scott Pye, who lost out to Coulthard’s storming start, eventually regained the position by pitting much later on in the race, and bagged the final step on the podium.

One of the key moments of the race happened on lap 33, when Chaz Mostert and Nick Percat were duelling for high points finishes. Mostert attempted to pass Percat with a crisscross at Turn 1, but ended up punting the BJR Commodore off the road. Chaz crossed the line seventh, but was demoted to 18th with time penalties added.

Race-winner Scott McLaughlin said:

“I got a pretty good start. As always, it was good, hard racing with Shane. I really enjoyed it but then our car, it just hooked up and took off.”

Race 17’s Top 10:

  1. Scott McLaughlin (F)
  2. Shane van Gisbergen (H)
  3. Scott Pye (H)
  4. Fabian Coulthard (F)
  5. Cam Waters (F)
  6. Jamie Whincup (H)
  7. James Cortney (F)
  8. Lee Holdsworth (F)
  9. Mark Winterbottom (H)
  10. Andre Heimgartner (F)

Race 18

McLaughlin made it three from three in the final race in Darwin, besting pole-sitter van Gisbergen on launch, and leading Percat through, too. As expected, little phased the Kiwi, as he eased to a 51st Supercars victory.

Despite finishing 14 seconds off McLaughlin at the chequered flag, Percat completed an assured drive to second, with Pye claiming another P3 finish at Hidden Valley. Team 18’s other Holden, piloted by Mark Winterbottom, also toured strongly, eventually picking up fourth after battling with various drivers all race.

Once more, Turn 1 was the hub for chaos throughout – Jamie Whincup got pushed out wide by Cam Waters, as the latter attempted a bold move on the Commodore as it exited the pit-lane. Waters made contact with Whincup, and broke his own steering in the process. A late biff between Garry Jacobson and Macauley Jones also featured.

Race-winner Scott McLaughlin said:

“I love the track and I love it when my car is like that. That’s hands-down probably the best car I have ever driven, just all weekend it was so solid. We had a good start and were able to use our tyres and do what we wanted to do.”

Race 18’s Top 10:

  1. Scott McLaughlin (F)
  2. Nick Percat (H)
  3. Scott Pye (H)
  4. Mark Winterbottom (H)
  5. Shane van Gisbergen (H)
  6. Chaz Mostert (H)
  7. Jamie Whincup (H)
  8. Andre Heimgartner (F)
  9. Anton De Pasquale (H)
  10. David Reynolds (H)
Credit: BJR

Weekend Analysis

I think it’s clear to see that Scott McLaughlin will be 2020’s Supercars Champion. It’s not just that he wins races, but the manner in which he does. He held healthy margins over the second-place finisher in every race, and no one seems to be able to match his consistent dominance.

Back in the 2011-2014 seasons, when Jamie Whincup claimed four consecutive championship titles, other drivers won races, such as Craig Lowndes, Mark Winterbottom, Will Davison and Garth Tander. Without this year’s tyre regulations, I don’t think anyone would have beaten McLaughlin in the “best car [he] has ever driven”.

At least smaller teams are making their presence known, regardless of the Kiwi’s brilliance. With Red Bull Holden faltering, and succumbing to the odd bit of bad luck, BJR, Team 18 and Penrite Racing all stand genuine chances of podium finishes each race.

Championship Standings:

  1. Scott McLaughlin (F) – 1324pts
  2. Jamie Whincup (H) – 1147pts
  3. Shane van Gisbergen (H) – 979pts
  4. Chaz Mostert (H) – 972pts
  5. Nick Percat (H) – 915pts

Standout Performers:

  1. Scott McLaughlin
  2. Scott Pye
  3. Nick Percat

The next round of the Supercars Championship is the NTI Townsville SuperSprint on 29-30 August.

William Holmes

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