Supercars: Shane van Gisbergen sweeps weekend proceedings at The Bend Supersprint

Shane van Gisbergen extended his lead at the top of the standings. Photo: EDGE Photographics / Photosport

For the third time in as many starts, Shane van Gisbergen reigned supreme.

At the OTR SuperSprint at The Bend in South Australia, the Kiwi driver swept the weekend, picking up a maximum 105 points to add to his already impressive lead at the top of the championship standings.

After picking up the first race of the weekend on Saturday thanks to a strategy which saw him drive a long stint while other drivers hit the pit lanes early, it was a similar scenario which saw him drive to victory in the first race on Sunday.

The first of two races on Sunday was red-flagged after a major start-line incident involving rookie Thomas Randle and Andre Heimgartner. Randle, who qualified in second and was on front row, failed to get off the line and Heimgartner, who started 12th, crashed head on into the rear of his stationary Supercar, at a speed of close to 150km/h.

Randle was then pushed into the pit lane wall and took out Nick Percat, while Heimgartner was left stranded in the middle of the grid.

Both Randle and Heimgartner walked away from the wreckage, and were assessed by medical staff before being sent to hospital for precautionary scans.

The race was immediately suspended, with cars ordered to pit lane due to debris on the pit straight.

When racing resumed van Gisbergen continued his dominance and cruised to his second victory of the weekend, his 13th of 2022 and 67th of his career.

Van Gisbergen didn't get a great start when driving resumed, but when the opportunity presented itself to take over, he didn't miss it.

"From the restart, I didn't get a good start again, but then we had an awesome race back through," he said. "I couldn't believe it when those guys pitted. I got clear air and just pushed on. We were planning to do the undercut then, but they pitted and we got clear air."

In winning Sunday's second race, the third of the weekend, van Gisbergen gave Holden an unassailable lead in the Champion Manufacturer standings, Red Bull Ampol Racing opened up a 121-point lead in the teams' championship.

The 2022 season will resume at the Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint next month.