Supercars: Scott McLaughlin takes another step towards history with Winton sweep

James Pavey

Supercars: Scott McLaughlin takes another step towards history with Winton sweep image

Scott McLaughlin began the day with a big margin in qualifying, and ended it with another race victory.

Winton was McLaughlin's playground for the weekend, and he continued his 2019 dominance on Sunday to lead a Shell 1-2, the team's sixth of the season.

For McLaughlin, it was another step towards history as he looks to defend his championship crown.

It was win No. 10 for the year for McLaughlin from just 14 races - or 13 starts, if you factor in his Albert Park non-start following a bizarre warm-up lap tangle.

There are 16 races remaining in 2019, and the wins record for a season - 16 - set by Craig Lowndes in 1996 is genuinely under threat.

SUPERCARS:  Everything you need to know about the 2019 Supercars Championship

MORE:  McLaughlin survives intra-team clash to claim Winton thriller

Sunday's race appeared set for a procession until Will Davison's Milwaukee Mustang gave up the ghost on lap 58. The resultant safety car bunched the field together and wiped away McLaughlin's advantage.

While the threat from behind remained, McLaughlin nailed the restart and staved off the six-lap sprint to the flag.

It was a docile start to the race for the Shell duo compared to Saturday's drama, with McLaughlin and Fabian Coulthard sprinting away off the line.

Championship leader McLaughlin was never headed, with Coulthard and Whincup rounding out the podium at race's end.

David Reynolds fell just short of making it two podiums for the weekend, while Lee Holdsworth impressed in a run to fifth, his best result of the season.

Chaz Mostert had a shocker of a day, bowling a massive wide on the first lap after starting fifth.


He then copped a penalty for punting James Courtney off at the penultimate corner on lap 28.


Tickford brought Mostert in during the safety car period and he climbed to 10th at the flag on fresh rubber, marking a solid comeback considering his rotten day.

Cameron Waters, Shane van Gisbergen, Scott Pye and Nick Percat finished ahead of Mostert to complete the top 10.

McLaughlin extended his championship lead to 244 points over Coulthard ahead of the next round in Darwin, to be held at Hidden Valley Raceway on June 14-16.

SUPERCARS: WINTON SUPERSPRINT

RACE 14 RESULTS

Position Driver Car Margin
1st Scott McLaughlin Ford  
2nd Fabian Coulthard Ford +0.766
3rd Jamie Whincup Holden +1.988
4th David Reynolds Holden +4.354
5th Lee Holdsworth Ford +5.393
6th Cameron Waters Ford +7.767
7th Shane van Gisbergen Holden +8.261
8th Scott Pye Holden +9.014
9th Nick Percat Holden +9.240
10th Chaz Mostert Ford +9.491
11th Andre Heimgartner Nissan +12.779
12th Tim Slade Holden +13.087
13th James Courtney Holden +13.824
14th Chris Pither Holden +14.314
15th Todd Hazelwood Holden +14.939
16th Macauley Jones Holden +15.217
17th Anton de Pasquale Holden +15.566
18th Garry Jacobson Nissan +15.917
19th James Golding Holden +17.378
20th Jack Le Brocq Holden +22.975
21st Jack Smith Holden +1 LAP
22nd Mark Winterbottom Holden +1 LAP
23rd Simona De Silvestro Nissan +1 LAP
DNF Will Davison Ford  
DNF Rick Kelly Nissan  

SUPERCARS: CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

AFTER RACE 14

Position Driver Car Points/Margin
1st Scott McLaughlin Ford 1646
2nd Fabian Coulthard Ford -244
3rd Shane van Gisbergen Holden -415
4th David Reynolds Holden -426
5th Jamie Whincup Holden -478

James Pavey

James Pavey Photo