Mostert wins chaotic Hidden Valley opener

Chaz Mostert and Mark Winterbottom emerged from an action packed opening race at Hidden Valley with a one-two finish for Prodrive.

Mostert made the best of the starts to lead all 21 laps, asserting his dominance on two Safety Car restarts on the way to victory.

Pole-sitter James Courtney gave chase before a mid-race off at Turn 1 saw the Holden drop behind Winterbottom, eventual third place finisher Rick Kelly and Shane van Gisbergen.

Courtney’s race came even further unstuck on a restart with two laps to go, when the 2010 champion speared off following side-to-side contact with Van Gisbergen’s Tekno Holden.

Garth Tander, who had fought his way through from 15th on the grid, was also caught up in the incident, dropping both HRT entries to the rear.

James Moffat and Michael Caruso swept through the chaos to fourth and fifth respectively, with Scott Pye, Tim Slade, Dale Wood, Nick Percat and Todd Kelly filling the remainder of the 10.

Jamie Whincup took the flag in 11th despite dropping to the back of the pack at the very opening turn.

Starting fourth, the six-time champion lost the rear of his Red Bull Holden, sliding into third-placed Fabian Coulthard, putting the Kiwi out of the race.

There was more carnage at the Turn 6 hairpin as a Scott McLaughlin dive-bomb resulted in spins for Craig Lowndes and Tim Blanchard.

A battle for sixth between James Moffat and Dale Wood two laps later sent the BJR Holden off at Turn 1, triggering a grass fire that required a Safety Car while it was extinguished.

The full course yellows were also required in the closing stages after another fire; this time caused by a second Craig Lowndes spin.

Also in the mid-race wars were David Reynolds, Jason Bright and Andre Heimgartner, who all toured the scenery during a scrap for eighth.

Result: V8 Supercars Race 13, Hidden Valley