Race 9: View From The Couch

Todd Hazelwood and Lee Holdsworth were the surprising stars of the final race at Sydney Motorsport Park.

Hazelwood raced with the big guns in the early laps and even had a stint in the lead with his Holden Commodore before Holdsworth stormed home for second place in his Ford Mustang.

But, once again, Scott McLaughlin took the chocolates with his second win from three starts in the Supercars comeback meeting.

McLaughlin marginally extended his series lead to 49 points over evergreen Jamie Whincup, who was his most consistent challenger in the Red Bull-HRT Commodore.

“Car 17 was too fast today. We’re disappointed we couldn’t do more,” says Whincup.

Once again, a wide variety of tyre strategies – and differing tyre condition – saw mix-and-mismatch racing with a race that was more like a snakes-and-ladders game.

• When Scott McLaughlin raced to a 3-second early lead it looked like a repeat of Race 1 on Saturday. That’s how it panned-out, as the Shell V-Power team had save four good Dunlops for his final stint.
• Shane van Gisbergen never looked like a contender and was mugged more than once as he battled to get the best from a car that was sub-optimal for rubber.
• Great racing again with battles through to the back of the Top 10, from the early laps to the dying stages.
• James Courtney was the first to pit for tyres and paid a huge penalty, training the other three Tickford Mustangs to the flag.
• Chaz Mostert was deep in the ’teens in a race where his efforts in the first two races were erased.
• David Reynolds finished his comeback from a miserable Race 1 with fourth place, and his Erebus team mate Anton de Pasqale also stormed through the final laps for seventh.
• “What a cool weekend,” says Mark Skaife, wrapping the Fox broadcast.

Race 9 Result