Kiwi Fabian Coulthard crashes out of the ITM Auckland SuperSprint. Photo / Geoff Ridder
Kiwi Fabian Coulthard crashes out of the ITM Auckland SuperSprint. Photo / Geoff Ridder
Defending Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen has won today's race at the ITM Auckland SuperSprint to move closer to the front of the championship fight but Fabian Coulthard crashed out in spectacular fashion.
Title contender Coulthard suffered a massive accident that resulted in the Shell V-Power Racing car ending upon its roof. His team will have a big job ahead to try and get it ready in time for this tomorrow afternoon's qualifying session and the race.
The incident started with Ford driver Chaz Mostert dive-bombing David Reynolds, the pair collided and then Coulthard ended up in the battle where the upshot saw the latter two spear off the circuit. While Reynolds got stuck in the sand, Coulthard's Ford backed into a tyre bundle and flipped onto its roof.
The new father walked away from the accident unhurt thankfully but his title ambitions suffered a huge blow as he dropped 137 points off championship leader Jamie Whincup.
Mostert received a drive-through penalty that saw him drop to 23rd and essentially ends any hopes he had of claiming the championship.
Prodrive Racing Ford's Mark Winterbottom finished second while Coulthard's Shell V-Power Racing teammate Scott McLaughlin was third with Whincup fourth.
McLaughlin was satisfied with his day but disappointed he was held up behind the safety car after his second pit stop, which saw both he and Whincup fall behind van Gisbergen and Winterbottom.
"It was good for me. Anytime I am beating Jamie and not too far back from my other championship contenders is good," the 24-year-old said.
"I was pretty disappointed there wasn't a good fight there at the end of pit lane - I felt me and Jamie probably would have been a lot closer behind [van Gisbergen and Winterbottom]. There was absolute confusion there. There was an orange light and then a green light about 20 seconds later so they probably need to work on that."
Shane van Gisbergen took the win on Saturday. Photo / Matthew Hansen
Earlier Whincup made the best start but McLaughlin jumped out of the first stop right with him and the two battled hard for a number of laps. Whincup ran the young Kiwi wide on one passing attempt but McLaughlin finally made his move on Whincup before the late race dramas.
"That was full-on. I had big opposite lock there and I thought he might have given me a bit more room and we could have gone side by side but I understand we are hard racing there so I returned the favour the next lap when I passed him," he quipped.
It was the 24th race win in van Gisbergen's career and he takes a big step towards retaining the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy for winning the Pukekohe round.
"On the cool down lap, I couldn't remember the last time I had won so I thought 'stuff it - I'm gonna do a burn-out,'" the defending series champ said.
Today's action sees a repeat of yesterday with a 20 minute qualifying session at 12.25pm and a 70-lap race at 4.10pm.
Championship Standings Jamie Whincup 2700 Scott McLaughlin -18 Fabian Coulthard -137 Shane van Gisbergen -159 Chaz Mostert -210
