Coulthard wins at The Bend, Whincup and McLaughlin crash

Fabian Coulthard has won one of the most exciting Supercars race in recent history today at the Repco SuperSprint at The Bend.

Coulthard claimed victory after a scintillating battle with Shane van Gisbergen and Jack Le Brocq.

Just as intriguing was the battle between Championship leaders Scott McLaughlin and Jamie Whincup who took their fight for the series off-track, running into each other as they battled for the lead on the opening lap.

McLaughlin had the perfect race start and led for the majority of the opening lap, before seven-time Supercars Champion Whincup made a diving move and crashed into a turning McLaughlin on Turn 17 – sending the two Championship leaders onto the grass.

Whincup was awarded a 15-second time penalty for the incident, effectively ending his day early, while McLaughlin fought his way back to fight for third position, only to cop his own 15-second time penalty for a collision with Lee Holdsworth on one of the final corners of the race.

Whincup and McLaughlin take each other out

With the two front-runners out of contention, the battle at the front was heart-stopping for fans with Coulthard locked in a three-way battle with Red Bull Holden’s Shane van Gisbergen and Supercheap Auto Mustang driver Le Brocq for much of the race.

The trio collided, pushed each other off the circuit and did everything they could to take the lead and hold it. In the end, Coulthard in his 200th career round start, came away with career victory 13.

The result ended a 41-race winless streak for the #12 Shell Mustang driver, his last victory was in Perth in 2019.

It was the perfect response from Coulthard who copped criticism in Townsville a fortnight ago with the Red Bull squad labelling the Shell V-Power outfit a “1+1 team”.

Behind Coulthard on the podium was Le Brocq who recorded his second career podium and rookie Bryce Fullwood in the Mobil 1 Middy’s Commodore.

Fabian Coulthard wins race 1 of the Repco SuperSprint The Bend. Event 9 of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, Tailem Bend, Australia. 19-20 Sep 2020.

It was 2019 Dunlop Super2 Champion Fullwood’s first career podium and ended an impressive day for the Walkinshaw Andretti United team. Chaz Mostert claimed his maiden pole position in a Holden after putting together a perfect lap in the ARMOR ALL Top 15 Shootout.

McLaughlin who fought his way back after the early incident with Whincup did finish third but the 15-second time penalty for the clash with Holdsworth demoted the Championship leader to an official finishing place of 15th.

Van Gisbergen fell to ninth, while Whincup also struggled on tires late, finishing 19th.
Whincup now trail McLaughlin in the standings by 151 points heading into tomorrow’s two races.

Race Results

POS # DRIVER TEAM BEHIND
1 12 Coulthard Shell V-Power Racing Team +0.000s
2 55 J. Le Brocq Supercheap Auto Racing +0.469
3 2 B. Fullwood Mobil 1 TM Middy’s Racing +4.287
4 7 Heimgartner NED Whisky Racing +4.661
5 6 C. Waters Monster Energy Racing +5.163
6 15 R. Kelly Castrol Racing +5.829
7 20 S. Pye DEWALT Racing +6.185
8 99 A. de Pasquale Penrite Racing +7.476
9 97 Van Gisbergen Red Bull Holden Racing Team +10.662
10 44 Courtney Boost Mobile Racing +12.882
11 8 Percat R&J Batteries +13.188
12 25 Mostert Mobil 1 TM Appliances Online +13.676
13 5 Holdsworth Truck Assist Racing +16.059
14 9 Reynolds Penrite Racing +17.180
15 17 McLaughlin Shell V-Power Racing Team +17.251
16 34 Z. Goddard UNIT Racing +20.095
17 18 Winterbottom IRWIN Racing +21.248
18 19 A. Davison Local Legends Racing +21.469
19 88 Whincup Red Bull Holden Racing Team +22.957
20 35 G. Jacobson Yellow Cover Racing +23.482
21 3 M. Jones Team CoolDrive +33.615
22 22 C. Pither Team SYDNEY +35.938
23 4 J. Smith SCT Motor Sports +49.777
24 14 T. Hazelwood TRG Transport +1:29.583
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