V8 Supercars: Shane Van Gisbergen seals a title with a victory

Shane van Gisbergen (Red Bull Racing Australia/Triple Eight Race Engineering) wins the last race of the 2016 V8 Supercars Championship at Sydney Motorsport Park to confirm his maiden V8SC title which he secured a day earlier. SVG started from the front row in his #97 Holden VF Commodore, next to the pole-sitter Garth Tander. Van Gisbergen took the lead early and he remained in front until the checkered flag to win the 73-lap race ahead of two more Holdens, driven by Garth Tander (Holden Racing Team) and David Reynolds (Erebus Motorsport).

With his eight win of the season and 12th in a career, the 27-year-old Kiwi finished a championship season with a final margin of 200 points over his teammate Jamie Whincup, who was fourth in Sunday’s race. Scott McLaughlin (Garry Rogers Motorsport, Volvo) was behind Whincup and he takes third place in the final points, prevented Triple Eight’s 1-2-3 finish. Craig Lowndes was ninth in Sunday’s race and he dropped to fourth in the final classification.

The final podium finish for Garth Tander secured a second place in the Teams’ standings for Holden Racing Team, ahead of Garry Rogers Motorsport. The third place at Homebush was also the first podium for Erebus Motorsport since switching to Holden this year.