Shane Van Gisbergen delivers ‘epic’ send off for Holden in manufacturer’s last Bathurst 1000 entry as he and Garth Tander triumph in Mount Panorama classic that was stopped EIGHT times by a safety car
Shane van Gisbergen was ‘stoked’ to deliver the fairytale sendoff for Holden at Bathurst in the manufacturer’s final appearance in The Great Race.
The reigning Supercars champion and Red Bull Ampol Racing co-driver Garth Tander won the Bathurst 1000 for the second time in three years after a rollercoaster race that was interrupted eight times by the safety car.
Their triumph was particularly significant as this year marked Holden’s last entry at Bathurst, with the Commodore to be replaced by the Chevrolet Camaro as part of Supercars’ move to a new Gen 3 era next season.
Garth Tander (left) and Shane Van Gisbergen celebrate winning the Bathurst 1000
‘I’m stoked,’ Van Gisbergen said.
‘To send the Holden out like this is epic. Up the Holden!’
Van Gisbergen now has two Bathurst 1000 crowns on his CV, while Tander has finished top of the podium at Mount Panorama five times.
After six hours and 43 minutes of thrilling and chaotic action at Australia’s great race, van Gisbergen roared past the chequered flag to an explosion of fireworks just one second ahead of second-placed Chaz Mostert.
The Red Bull Ampol Racing duo won at Mount Panorama for the second time in three years
Van Gisbergen now has two Bathurst 1,000 crowns, while Tander has five
Van Gisbergen crossed the line just ahead of Chaz Mostert in a dramatic finish
The reigning Supercars champion beat a desperate chasing field in what transformed into a 39 lap sprint, then a 16 lap gallop home after Todd Hazelwood and Will Davison forced two late safety cars after six had come earlier in the 1000 kilometre classic.
SVG had previously enjoyed a 12.3 second margin aided by teammate Tander before Hazelwood’s incident, then Davison went into the wall two corners after his final pit stop.
The New Zealander heroically defended his slim margin ahead of Mostert, who hounded him to the final corner, crossing for his second Bathurst triumph and the fifth for Tander.
‘It’s special. I’m rapt,’ van Gisbergen told Fox Sports.
Teammate Tander was flabbergasted at the New Zealander’s effort after moving to equal-fourth for all time Bathurst wins.
‘I can’t really believe it to be honest,’ Tander said.
‘Shane at the end of the race – how he can do that – just his focus and ability to punch out laps, it’s seriously impressive to watch.”
The win was record setting for van Gisbergen and cements the most dominant season ever in Australian Touring Cars and Supercars history.
A chaotic Bathurst 1000 was interrupted by eight safety cars on Sunday
He now has the most wins in a season with 19, eclipsing the previous record of 18 by Scott McLaughlin.
The next highest win by any driver in 2022’s competition is three, shared by Mostert, Waters and Davison.
Triple Eight Racing’s terminator has won almost two thirds of races this year and 10 of the last 12 since the July NTI Townsville 500.
He has room to extend his record with legs at the Gold Coast and Adelaide to come.
But even having had a 525 point lead before the race, van Gisbergen will need to wait till the next leg to wrap up the championship as Waters’ podium finish means he’s still mathematically in the hunt for the season title.
After rain wreaked havoc for most of the weekend, race day was dry at Mount Panorama
The dry conditions were a relief to spectators who packed the stands to watch the race
Sunday’s win in the sunshine after days of rain in Bathurst is van Gisbergen’s 73rd of his career and the 57th for Tander.
It also marks the ninth Bathurst title for Triple Eight Racing.
Mostert finished second and pole-sitter Waters third, as Holden capped a dream farewell on the mountain with two of three cars on the podium.
Davison’s late crash meant his teammate and brother Alex’s record of finishing every start at Bathurst came to an end.
