Déjà vu at Adelaide: Two out of two for Shane van Gisbergen

Déjà vu is the first word we think about when talking about the season-opening round of the 2018 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, the Clipsal 500 at Adelaide Street Circuit. Shane van Gisbergen did exactly the same as last year, he won both races starting from pole position.

The driver of the #97 Red Bull Holden ZB Commodore scored his 26th Supercars win in a career and fifth victory at Adelaide. Before four wins with Red Bull Holden, he won there in 2013 as Tekno Autosports driver.

Garth Tander, Shane van Gisbergen and David Reynolds

SVG beat David Reynolds (Erebus Motorsport) to complete back-to-back Adelaide 500 doubles. Garth Tander (Garry Rogers Motorsport) completed the all-Holden podium.

Two Ford Falcons of Chaz Mostert and Cameron Waters followed on P4 and P5. Holden drivers James Courtney, Craig Lowndes and Scott Pye took the next three positions ahead of Michael Caruso on ninth as the best Nissan driver. Scott McLaughlin completed the top 10 after suffering a puncture.

The defending champion Jamie Whincup failed to finish with a transmission failure after 30 laps, retiring while leading the race. The retirement was Whincup’s first in 136 Supercars races, the previous was at Gold Coast 600 in 2013.

The 250km, 78-lap race went without a Safety Car.

Shane van Gisbergen is leaving Adelaide with a maximum of 300 points on his account. David Reynolds is following with 258, eighteen more than James Courtney.