Pye gives Walkinshaw Andretti United first Supercar win

Scott Pye gives team owner Michael Andretti his first Supercar win

Journeyman Scott Pye caused a huge upset with a breakthrough Supercars victory ahead of some of the biggest names in the sport at the Coates Hire Melbourne 400 in a heart-stopper at Albert Park.

The 28-year-old, in his second year with the newly formed Walkinshaw Andretti United team, scored a deserved victory from third on the grid, a lead they assumed when early leader Scott McLaughlin speared off at turn on after just one lap.

Pye’s best finish in a Championship race was second twice, one of those at one of the biggest events of the year, the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 last year with Warren Luff. He went one better today, holding out a seven-time Supercars Champion with 109 race wins under his belt.

His win became Walkinshaw Andretti United’s first victory in the new-found partnership between UK team owner Ryan Walkinshaw, McLaren Formula One team owner Zak Brown and legendary American racer Michael Andretti.

“What a great race. What an unbelievable drive. What a great team. Great to see," Brown said.

“That was scary. I’m glad he was in the car and we weren’t. I think it’s about as good of a drive as I’ve ever seen. He earned it. That was awesome. He earned that."

A late rain storm led to a wet race being declared after 17 of 25 laps leaving the teams with the agonizing decision to switch to wets in the changeable weather, or not. The weather didn’t deter Pye who extended his lead over Jamie Whincup to five seconds with six laps to go.

As the rain got heavier Pye made the gutsy call to stay out when most other teams opted for the safe wet tyre option, Whincup doing the same in second. Not only was it raining, the race ended in virtual darkness following a delay in Formula One qualifying.

He endured a stomach-wrenching mistake on the third last lap when he slid wide, putting Whincup right on his tail with just over two laps remaining.

“I’m just speechless. It’s a really special moment," said Pye.

“It was a tough race and to have someone like Jamie behind you, it’s a long way. It means the world. We all have families and work hard for this. It feels like it’s taken a long time.

“My dad is up there, it feels like he could have helped a bit more with the weather. Obviously, I miss him and this is for him today. But all these boys as well, I can’t thank them enough for giving me a car good enough to get the win."

Whincup survived some massive late-race pressure from Tempur Racing’s Nick Percat, also on slicks, to finish second with the young South Australian in third. Pye’s team-mate James Courtney also didn’t pit to finish fourth on the track before a five second penalty was applied.

McLaughlin made a big error at the end of the first lap when he missed the first corner complete, dropping from what appeared to be a comfortable first back to sixth. It left Pye in the lead with 23 laps to see if he could score his first Supercars race win.

In the first race of the day Whincup got one back on McLaughlin to make the weekend score one-all.

Red Bull Holden Racing team’s Whincup controlled the sprint race from the front of the grid following a morning of Melbourne race, taking the second race of the weekend from Shell V-Power Racing’s McLaughlin and his team-mate Fabian Coulthard.

The final race of the Coates Hire Melbourne 400 will be run tomorrow.

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