McLaughlin Breaks Win Record in NZ

September 15, 2019

Fabian Coulthard - No. 12 Shell V-Power Racing Ford

Qualifying – 8th (Fastest Lap: 1m01.8654s)
Top 10 Shootout – 4th (Fastest Lap: 1m01.8964s)
Race 24 – 12th (Fastest Lap: 1m02.8520s)
 
Scott McLaughlin - No. 17 Shell V-Power Racing Ford

Qualifying – 6th (Fastest Lap: 1m01.7414s)
Top 10 Shootout – 5th (Fastest Lap: 1m01.9165s)
Race 24 – 1st (Fastest Lap: 1m02.6492s)

Recap: Scott McLaughlin has made Supercars history in New Zealand today, taking his 17th victory of 2019 to break the 23-year-old season win record set by Craig Lowndes in 1996.
 
After starting fifth, McLaughlin took the win in some controversial circumstances, after a mid-race Safety Car that shook up the field and caused several front-runners to drop way down the field.
 
Shell V-Power Racing’s Fabian Coulthard was one of those drivers affected when the Safety Car picked up Lee Holdsworth instead of then race leader McLaughlin, holding half the field at reduced pace for a lap before allowing them through to re-join the back of the train.
 
Coulthard started third, and was on-track for a potential podium before the issue which saw him finish the race in 12th position, despite having strong pace across the length of the 200km affair.
 
McLaughlin had a great battle with fellow kiwi Shane van Gisbergen for the lead of the race, holding him at bay to take the win in front of an adoring home crowd.
 
The victory saw McLaughlin break not only the Lowndes record, but also a long-held Team Penske record. The legendary Mark Donohue won 16 races for Team Penske across the 1968 season, which McLaughlin has now eclipsed to create the most-successful season for a Penske driver in the team’s 52-year history.
 
McLaughlin now leads the Championship by 598-points over Van Gisbergen, with Coulthard having dropped to fourth due to the safety car issue in today race.
 
Shell V-Power Racing Team continues to lead the Supercars Teams’ points table, by 855 over Triple Eight.

COULTHARD QUOTE: “We got shafted a little bit by that Safety Car. I’m not sure how many times that kind of thing has to happen before we get it right. It’s frustrating not just for us, but many others too. We had a good car today, and I think we could have been on the podium quite easily, but it wasn’t to be. We’ve taken a hit today, but we know our package is good, we have a fantastic team and can now look forward to Bathurst.”

MCLAUGHLIN QUOTE: “I am so stoked to get that done on home soil. We made the car so much better today, my team is just incredible and I am so fortunate to drive for them. Wow. Breaking that Lowndes record is very special, but doing it here in New Zealand makes it even more special. Thank so much to all of the amazing fans out here today, I'm so proud to have gotten it done today.”