Two out of two for Shane van Gisbergen at Adelaide's Clipsal 500

Shane van Gisbergen (Red Bull Holden Racing Team) perfectly starts his defence of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship title. After winning the first race of season-opening Clipsal 500 on Saturday, SVG repeats a triumph at Adelaide Street Circuit on Sunday.

This time, Van Gisbergen’s win wasn’t so dominant as in the first race, as he stole the lead from Scott McLaughlin (DJR Team Penske) with only three laps to go in a 78-lap race. Chaz Mostert (Prodrive Racing) completed a podium.

Van Gisbergen won both races at Adelaide Street Circuit

McLaughlin was in a lead for most of the race and very close to his first win since he joined DJR Team Penske, but he made a mistake at Turn 9, allowing a champion to take the lead with three laps remaining. The battle for the Clipsal 500’s victory was a battle of two different pit stop strategies but at the end, one single mistake was the most important.

McLaughlin made an early pit stop on Lap 8 and took the lead after all drivers made their stops. He managed to maintain the advantage after the second trip to the pits. Pole sitter Van Gisbergen elected to run long in his second stint and he was caught behind James Courtney before made a progress for the final chase behind McLaughlin.

DJR Team Penske’s Fords finished in the second placein both races

James Courtney (Mobil 1 HSV Racing) finished in the fourth place, ahead of Fabian Coulthard (DJR Team Penske), who was in the lead for opening 15 laps.

Jamie Whincup (Red Bull Holden Racing Team) was sixth, ahead of Tim Slade (Brad Jones Racing), Cameron Waters (Prodrive Racing), Todd Kelly (Nissan Motorsport) and Garth Tander (Garry Rogers Motorsport).