After he qualified fastest, there has been no stopping Aussie Racing Cars debutant Shane Van Gisbergen. He has won the three races of the Battery World series final round at Highlands Park.
The first race was barely underway when it was red flagged. Reigning champion Josh Anderson had beaten van Gisbergen away, but Nathan Williams stalled on the line and was hit by Steve Jakic.
In a Camaro-bodied racer, Van Gisbergen won the restart and was able to fend off a mid-race challenge from Cody Brewczynski who finished second ahead of Anderson, points leader Joel Heinrich (in Mustangs), Brandon Madden (Camaro) and Reece Chapman (Mustang).
“In the first race we were good, I couldn’t break the tow, and the other guys have gotten quicker and have learned the track,” said van Gisbergen
Van Gisbergen was able to cover Brewcyznski’s every attempt to get past in Race 2. Contact between them allowed Heinrich to snatch second while Anderson was fourth ahead of Chapman, Madden and Scott Andriske.
The top 10 finishers were inverted for Race 3. The front runners from the early race moved forward quickly. Van Gisbergen continued his winning way with some assistance from a mid-race safety car. Brewczynski had taken the lead, but he was unable to hold off the New Zealander after the resumption. Chapman finished third ahead of Heinrich.
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“I never been so disappointed with second, would love to get one over him (van Gisbergen) before I go home to Australia,” Brewcyznski.
Anderson was fifth from Madden, Kent Quinn, former series winner Darren Chamberlin, Sheridan Phillips and Scott Dornan. The safety car was required when Ian Chivas’ Altima had the front bodywork come adrift after a collision.
“The front three now have restrictors, so we are equally as slow as each other. It made it harder to come back through the field in the reverse grid race against the guys with no restrictors. I think it all works out pretty well,” van Gisbergen added.
