MCLAUGHLINS PERFECT START IN ADELAIDE

Scott McLaughlin completed a perfect weekend for the Shell V-Power team and the new Ford Mustang with a second win and a maximum points haul. The strong performance of the all new Mustang also sent tongues wagging with suggestions that the parity formula may need some re-adjustment, a moot point given the same rumours circulated this time last year when the ZB Commodore was introduced into the competition.

McLaughlin led home Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters in what was a pleasing result for the Monster Energy driver after his forced break during the opening race when his cool suit failed in the oppressive heat. Waters endured a painful final few laps of the shortened Sunday race when the burns suffered to is right foot on Saturday became aggravated.  Cameron attributed his reduced pace over those final laps to the painful injury as he lost contact with McLaughlin and fought to hold out a fast finishing Shane van Gisbergen.

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The final day of the Superloop 500 were not without drama as exclusions, track issues and a bizarre pitlane incident robbed driver’s of a shot at the podium.

Chaz Mostert had finished close to the top in qualifying for Sunday’s race but was eliminated from the shoot out for a curb strike breach at turn 1. Fabian Coulthard qualified near the front of the grid but was later relegated to 10th for a parc ferme infringement, while Jamie Whincup struggled with the balance in his Red Bull Holden Racing Commodore and missed out on a place in the shoot out. Todd Hazelwood and Nick Percat brought the parochial Adelaide crowd to their feet when both qualified inside the top 10.

Shane van Gisbergen was desperate to head McLaughlin at the start of the race and the pair swept into turn 1 side by side, though it was van Gisbergen who had to concede the lead to McLaughlin as the pair rounded the chicane. From there McLaughlin was able to control the race as he had done the day before, until a Safety Car near the 27 lap mark changed the complexion of the race.

Jack Le Brocq had stopped on circuit in the Tekno Commodore and the Safety Car was dispatched with the stranded car deemed to be in an unsafe position. The ensuing rush to the pit lane saw Mostert trapped behind Fabian Coulthard’s Mustang. The Tickford mechanics pushed the Super Cheap Auto Mustang back from Coulthard’s rear wing and eventually released Mostert into the path of Rick Kelly in the Castrol Nissan.

After an initial contact the pair hit twice more with Mostert eventually stranded at a 90 degree angle to the pit exit road. Cars were forced to drive through the Triple 8 and DJRTP pit bays as Mostert and Kelly tried to untangle their mess. Mostert’s day was ruined with a subsequent pit lane penalty for the unsafe release, while Kelly’s car was pushed into the garage for a lengthy repair.

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The delay left Scott Mclaughlin in the unaccustomed role of follower during the middle stages of the race as David Reynolds took the lead. The status quo returned after the final phase of pitstops, though McLaughlin was left vulnerable to an attack by Waters when a faulty air gun delayed his final stop. Fabian Coulthards day went from bad to worse when he made contact with one of the Nissan entries and received a pit lane penalty for his part in the incident.

Scott McLaughlin went on to win the race from Waters and van Gisbergen.  The Supercars now head to Melbourne’s Albert Park where they are on the Formula 1 Grand Prix undercard, in just 10 days.

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