McLaughlin wins in Adelaide

McLaughlin on the outside of Row 1 for the start
McLaughlin on the outside of Row 1 for the start

Two-time defending Virgin Australia Supercars Champion Scott McLaughlin has scored his first win of 2020 following a dramatic race at the Superloop Adelaide 500 today.

McLaughlin has capitalized on a Red Bull Holden Racing Team pitlane error to take victory in Adelaide and seize the championship lead.

It was career victory number 44 and the kiwi Champ's first since the October 2019 to end Holden's dominance of the weekend in Adelaide.

Former Ford man Chaz Mostert showed he will be a force following his switch to a Walkinshaw Commodore, finishing second ahead of his former Tickford teammate Cam Waters.

Red Bull Holden's Shane van Gisbergen started from pole position and was in the box seat to complete a clean sweep for his team, however a mistake on his final scheduled stop in pit lane cost him any chance of winning the race.

The 2016 Supercars Champion's crew made a huge error while he was in the race lead and didn't provide him with enough fuel to finish the race, meaning he had to stop one extra-time.

McLaughlin celebrates another win
McLaughlin celebrates another win

That pushed him back into 4th position and while he was pushing as hard as he could for a podium result, the 30-year old kiwi clipped Waters Mustang on a passing move, causing enough damage to send van Gisbergen off track. He eventually brought his Supercar to a stop with just two laps remaining recording no points for his DNF.

The result may have significant consequences later in the year as van Gisbergen chases critical points in the Championship.

Will Davison was gifted a solid fourth, ahead of early stoppers Jamie Whincup and Lee Holdsworth.

Nick Percat, David Reynolds, Fabian Coulthard and Andre Heimgartner completed the top 10.

Reynolds could be in for an awkward post-race debrief after spinning teammate Anton De Pasquale at Turn 9 on the opening lap while trying to pass Mark Winterbottom.

McLaughlin leaves Adelaide with a 27-point advantage over Whincup in the standings, with Mostert an encouraging third.

Van Gisbergen’s DNF leaves the 2016 champion down in 13th overall, already 159 points behind McLaughlin.

Drivers will now prepare for the Beaurepaires Melbourne 400 at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix to run from 12-15 March.

Adelaide Race 2 Results

POS No. DRIVER TEAM BEHIND POINTS
1 17 McLaughlin Shell V-Power Racing Team +0.000s 150
2 25 Mostert Mobil 1 TM Appliances Online +10.307 138
3 6 C. Waters Monster Energy Racing +14.310 129
4 23 Davison Milwaukee Racing +21.046 120
5 88 Whincup Red Bull Holden Racing Team +24.187 111
6 5 Holdsworth Truck Assist Racing +24.748 102
7 8 Percat X Convenience Mobil Racing +33.047 96
8 9 Reynolds Penrite Racing +34.167 90
9 12 Coulthard Shell V-Power Racing Team +35.066 84
10 7 Heimgartner NED Racing +35.650 78
11 18 Winterbottom IRWIN Racing +46.567 72
12 55 J. Le Brocq Supercheap Auto Racing +51.220 69
13 15 R. Kelly Castrol Racing +55.308 66
14 14 T. Hazelwood Plus Fitness Racing +1:01.667 63
15 19 Courtney Boost Mobile Racing +1:05.141 60
16 34 Z. Goddard UNIT Racing +1 Lap 57
17 2 B. Fullwood Mobil 1 TM Middy's Racing +1 Lap 54
18 4 J. Smith SCT Motor Sports +2 Laps 51
19 3 M. Jones Team Cooldrive +3 Laps 48
20 35 G. Jacobson Yellow Cover Racing +6 Laps 45
NC 97 Van Gisbergen Red Bull Holden Racing Team +4 Laps 0
NC 22 C. Pither Team SYDNEY +67 Laps 0
NC 99 A. de Pasquale Penrite Racing +78 Laps 0
NC 20 S. Pye DEWALT Racing +78 Laps 0