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Adelaide Supercars: McLaughlin wins after Triple Eight pit error

Scott McLaughlin took full advantage of a costly error from the Triple Eight Holden squad to secure his first win of the 2020 Supercars season in Adelaide

Some swift work in the pits from the factory Holden outfit in the first round of pitstops looked to have given Shane van Gisbergen the upper hand in a tight battle with rival McLaughlin.

However, an uncharacteristic error during the second pitstop phase meant van Gisbergen fell short of the required fuel drop, which forced forced into stop as McLaughlin charged to victory.

Paired with his second place in the opening race of the season on Saturday, McLaughlin leads the points after the first round.

Van Gisbergen, meanwhile, did not even make the finish after a disappointing afternoon ended with a suspension failure three laps from the end.

That paved the way for a first podium in Walkinshaw Andretti United colours for Chaz Mostert, while Cam Waters rounded out the top three. McLaughlin got the best start from the outside of the front row, the Penske Ford comfortably out-dragging polesitter van Gisbergen into the first corner.

The reigning champion seemed to have the measure of the Red Bull Holden over the first stint, too, leading the way until an early safety car on lap 13 sparked the first round of stops.

Triple Eight was slightly faster in the pitlane, and van Gisbergen took on around one-second less fuel to grab the lead in the process.

He then had the pace to cover off McLaughlin's minor fuel advantage, building a five-second cushion across the second stint.

On lap 43 McLaughlin made his second stop, van Gisbergen predictably following suit a lap later.

But while the Holden driver rejoined with a healthy lead, it quickly emerged that he had fallen short of the required 120-litre fuel drop.

The error meant van Gisbergen had to make a third stop on lap 68, 10 laps from the finish, which dumped him back to fourth.

He did have new rubber and third placed Waters in sight, but quickly relayed fears about his front-right suspension over the radio.

Those concerns were realised with three laps to go, as van Gisbergen was forced out of a race he could have so easily won.

All the while it was smooth sailing for McLaughlin, who cruised to a first win of the 2020 season.

Mostert took his first podium as a Holden driver thanks to sharp strategic work from his WAU crew.

The team opted to go for a long-fill during his first stop under the safety car, which resigned him to a second stint running at the back end of the top 10.

But a significantly shorter second stop helped him jump the likes of Waters, Will Davison, Lee Holdsworth and Jamie Whincup to emerge in third - which then became second thanks to van Gisbergen's pit issue.

Waters completed the podium, despite his second stint going a lap longer than planned after he locked up on the way into the pitlane and missed pit entry.

He then had to momentarily fend of van Gisbergen before the suspension failure - the pair reuniting on the cool-down lap as Waters gave his rival a lift back to the pits.

Waters was followed home by Tickford team-mate Davison, while Saturday race winner Whincup and Holdsworth - who both opted for early stops - finished fifth and sixth.

Nick Percat was seventh, with David Reynolds eighth after recovering from an early drivethrough penalty.

The sanction came after he spun team-mate Anton De Pasquale on the first lap, as part of a passing move on Mark Winterbottom that went wrong.

Result - 78 laps

Pos Driver Team Car Gap
1 Scott McLaughlin DJR Penske Ford 1h52m12.3963s
2 Chaz Mostert Walkinshaw Holden 10.3069s
3 Cameron Waters Tickford Ford 14.3097s
4 Will Davison 23Red Racing Ford 21.0459s
5 Jamie Whincup Triple Eight Holden 24.1866s
6 Lee Holdsworth Tickford Ford 24.7477s
7 Nick Percat Brad Jones Holden 33.0469s
8 David Reynolds Erebus Holden 34.1674s
9 Fabian Coulthard DJR Penske Ford 35.0661s
10 Andre Heimgartner Kelly Ford 35.6501s
11 Mark Winterbottom Schwerkolt Holden 46.5674s
12 Jack Le Brocq Tickford Ford 51.2202s
13 Rick Kelly Kelly Ford 55.3084s
14 Todd Hazelwood Brad Jones Holden 1m01.6673s
15 James Courtney Sydney Holden 1m05.1407s
16 Zane Goddard Matt Stone Holden 1 Lap
17 Bryce Fullwood Walkinshaw Holden 1 Lap
18 Jack Smith Brad Jones Holden 2 Laps
19 Macauley Jones Tim Blanchard Holden 3 Laps
20 Garry Jacobson Matt Stone Holden 6 Laps
- Shane van Gisbergen Triple Eight Holden Retirement
- Chris Pither Sydney Holden Retirement
- Anton De Pasquale Erebus Holden Retirement
- Scott Pye Schwerkolt Holden Retirement

Drivers' standings

Pos Driver Points
1 Scott McLaughlin 288
2 Jamie Whincup 261
3 Chaz Mostert 234
4 Cameron Waters 231
5 Will Davison 231
6 David Reynolds 210
7 Lee Holdsworth 171
8 Mark Winterbottom 162
9 Fabian Coulthard 162
10 Rick Kelly 150


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