New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen's strong V8 Supercars form has continued with victory in the first race of Gold Coast 600, a 300-kilometre affair.
Shane van Gisbergen roars around Mount Panorama Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Holden driver, who claimed pole position earlier in the day yesterday, kept championship leader Jamie Whincup at arm's length to take out his fourth win of the year.
Van Gisbergen's victory on the streets of Surfers Paradise comes just 13 days after agonisingly missing out in the Bathurst 1000.
The Tekno Autosport driver was leading the 1000km endurance classic with just nine laps to go when his starter motor failed and cost him a Mount Panorama victory.
Whincup, who had started on Saturday from fifth, led for a portion of the 102-lap race but had to settle for second.
The result was still enough for the five-time championship winner's lead in the 2014 standings to increase despite Ford star Mark Winterbottom snaring third at the very end from Holden's Tim Slade.
Winterbottom, however, was penalised for a last-lap move on Slade, with the Holden driver elevated to third place.
Despite several near misses on the unforgiving street circuit, the safety car was only called for twice.
Greg Murphy's 200th V8 Supercars appearance lasted mere seconds as he and James Courtney's day ended with a crash at the race start, while Ford's David Reynolds, a winner at Surfers last year, crashed out midway through the event.
Holden veteran Craig Lowndes' championship hopes also appear over after suffering a late drama and finished well back in 18th.
