Supercars: Sixth win of the season for Scott McLaughlin

Scott McLaughlin scored his sixth win of the season in the 15th race of the 2018 Virgin Australian Supercars Championship today at Hidden Valley Raceway, in the first race of the Darwin Triple Crown event.

With this win, the driver of the #17 DJR Team Penske’s Ford Falcon extends the championship lead ahead of Red Bull’s Shane van Gisbergen, who finished second today in the #97 Holden Commodore. David Reynolds started from pole and finished third in the #9 Erebus Motorsport’s Holden. After 42 laps, the trio was covered by 1.2 seconds at the finish line.

Supercars, Darwin Triple Crown, Hidden Valley Raceway, Scott McLaughlin wins

Race 1 podium at Hidden Valley Raceway

The polesitter Reynolds defended the lead at the start and stayed on the track until lap 21. Scott McLaughlin pitted early, on lap six, while Van Gisbergen pitted on lap 19. When all the pit stops were over, McLaughlin was 5.5 seconds ahead of Van Gisbergen with 20 laps remaining. The margin was dropping lap by lap bit McLaughlin ultimately had enough to take his sixth win of the 2018 season, and the 22nd of his career, by 0.4245s from van Gisbergen.

Behind the podium finishers, Scott Pye and Garth Tander took P4 and P5. Rick Kelly, Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup who filled the next three places. Nick Percat took ninth and Michael Caruso completed the top 10.

McLaughlin’s win is the 100th for Dick Johnson’s team in the history of competition.

One more 70-lap race is scheduled for Sunday.