Van Gisbergen seals Supercars title with Gold Coast win

SHANE van Gisbergen secured the 2022 Repco Supercars Championship title with victory in the opening race of the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500.

The Red Bull Ampol Racing driver overtook polesitter and early leader David Reynolds during the first stint before powering on to a 20th win of the season.

Van Gisbergen now has a 606-point lead with just 450 still available across Sunday’s Gold Coast race and the VALO Adelaide 500 in December.

“We had to beat one car to secure [the title], but we killed everyone,” he said.

“What a year. It’s been a lot of fun. I want to come out tomorrow and do the same job, so I’ll keep focus.

“But it’s certainly pretty special. I’m stoked. It’s hard to put it into words yet.”

Van Gisbergen took the lead from Reynolds at Turn 4 on lap 15, but the Grove Mustang hung onto the back of the Red Bull Commodore throughout the remainder of the stint.

Reynolds pitted from second on lap 24 and van Gisbergen covered the move a lap later, rejoining still ahead and with a slight fuel advantage.

The gap grew in the second stint as Reynolds battled a loose steering wheel – the margin 7.5s when Reynolds made his second stop on lap 52.

Grove Racing elected not to change the steering wheel at the stop, instead tightening two loose bolts while completing usual fuel and tyre service before sending Reynolds on his way.

Van Gisbergen pressed on for another three laps before pitting and rejoined 10 seconds clear of Reynolds. The Kiwi eventually cleared out to a 17s victory in a race devoid of Safety Car periods.

Reynolds was left to fend off Chaz Mostert and a charging Will Davison – the trio greeting the flag in that order, covered by just 1.3s.

Mostert turned fourth on the grid into third after running a long first stint, briefly leading the race before making his first stop.

His slightly off-sequence strategy meant he had to overtake the Fords of James Courtney, Will Davison, Anton De Pasquale and then Cam Waters in the middle phase of the race.

Shortly after being overtaken by Mostert, Waters lost control of his Mustang through the Turn 1-2-3 chicane, side-swiping the tyre wall on the exit of the complex.

That contact spun the Monster entry through 360-degrees. He made his final stop a short time later but escaped major damage.

Waters dropped behind the two DJR Mustangs during the pitstop cycle but was able to take fifth place back from Anton De Pasquale on the run home.

“There was a fair bit happening,” said Waters. “I think I lost the rear at the first one and I couldn’t save it.

“I hit the tyres and it flicked me around. I gassed it up and drove through the smoke and came out the other side. The car has been through a war, that’s for sure.”

Seventh through 10th at the flag were Brodie Kostecki, Courtney, Mark Winterbottom and Nick Percat, while Shootout runner Thomas Randle slid to 11th.

Another to start in the top 10, Andre Heimgartner, failed to finish after his Brad Jones Racing Commodore was struck down by a misfire.

Will Brown was the last classified finisher, 15 laps down, after clouting the tyre barrier in the beachside chicane due to power steering failure.

A second 250km race will round out the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 on Sunday.