Van Gisbergen wins Gold Coast Race 31, seals title

Shane van Gisbergen has won Race 31 at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 by more than 16-seconds to pole-sitter David Reynolds and Chaz Mostert. The Red Bull Ampol Racing driver took the lead from Reynolds on Lap 16 of the 85-lap race, and in taking a record 20th victory of the season secures the 2022 Repco Supercars Championship.

“Obviously the car is amazing, to do that,” said van Gisbergen, “And basically we had to beat one car to secure [the title] and we killed everyone.”

Van Gisbergen was squarely beaten to the first chicane, with David Reynolds leading the pack from pole position in what was a remarkably clean opening lap with few positions changing. Van Gisbergen immediately applied immense pressure that Reynolds was able to subdue by setting the fastest lap of the race of lap 4 – a 1:11.0219 – helped somewhat after van Gisbergen brushed the barrier in car #97 to enable Reynolds some breathing space on Lap 5.

As Reynolds and van Gisbergen gapped the field, Cam Waters lead the rest of the pack ahead of Chaz Mostert, with barely any position changes in the Top 10. Mark Winterbottom in Car 18 was the biggest mover early on, having climbed to ninth position from 13^th on the grid.

Lap 8 saw Shell V-Power Racing’s Will Davison have a look at Boost Mobile Racing’s Brodie Kostecki at Turn 11 before the #17 Mustang dived into the pits to be the first of the front runners to make their first of two compulsory pit stops.

Davison lost out in a pit lane race with Tickford’s James Courtney, who pitted at the same time, after an issue with the right rear rattle gun seeing Courtney jump him in the lane to be 4.7sec ahead on track.

Lap 10 and van Gisbergen had regrouped to sit 0.557 behind Reynolds, having chipped away at the lead. Further back, the reverse was taking place, with Penrite Racing Mustang #10 of Lee Holdsworth glued to the rear bumper of Broc Feeney’s Red Bull Commodore, the pair being tailed by Blanchard Racing’s Tim Slade.

Van Gisbergen’s Lap 15 passing attempt out of Turn 4 was foiled, however he made the pass to take the lead from Reynolds in the same place the following lap – and would keep that lead until the chequered flag was waved at the end of 85 laps.

“The first time I got alongside him at the hairpin I thought I’d cut the chicane…I probably could have forced it, but I didn’t get good traction anyway; but the next time I got a good run, didn’t cut, so just shoved it in there – it was good.

Courtney in P18 the first of those who’ve made their first compulsory pit stop, ahead of Davison in 19^th, with Winterbottom pitting in Lap 19 followed by Anton De Pasquale, who was leapfrogged by Cam Waters for 15^th place.

Reynolds made his first pit stop in Lap 25, who re-joined 2.5sec ahead of Waters with van Gisbergen responding with his first top on the next lap. Of the trio, Waters had taken on the most fuel, while Reynolds’ 59L fuel drop played van Gisbergen’s 59L – Reynolds reducing the gap to momentarily pressure the Championship leader.

Mostert pitted from the race lead on Lap 28, re-joining ninth on the road to lose out to Waters, who was now effectively third, with Reynolds mounting his best attack on van Gisbergen the same lap, however the Kiwi managing to stave off the Penrite Mustang.

Behind the lead trio was De Pasquale, Davison, Courtney, Mostert, Winterbottom, with Randle and Kostecki rounding out the Top Ten.

Heimgartner was out of the race with 55 laps left following a misfire after a crank-case sensor issue, while Will Brown has stopped earlier with a power steering failure from 11^th.

Brodie Kostecki batted with Randle on for P9 on Lap 34, which over the next three laps saw the two drivers fuming over the radio after they both straight lined the second chicane.

Reynolds’ challenge to van Gisbergen lost some of its bite when the steering wheel of the #26 Mustang became loose around Lap 40.  The team readied a spare steering wheel readied for Reynolds, with the gap to van Gisbergen now 2.243sec, with Reynolds 3.6sec ahead of Waters.

Van Gisbergen’s lead stretched to 4.2 sec by Lap 46, with 8.5 sec covering the Top 3 with Mostert fourth, De Pasquale fifth followed by Winterbottom, Brodie Kostecki, Nick Percat, Chris Pither, with Feeney now in the Top 10.

Mostert challenged Waters for third on Lap 47, and shortly after he made a clean pass on the Tickford Mustang out of Turn 4, Waters had a huge moment that saw his chance of a podium up in smoke.

Waters slid the rear of the car into the fence at the chicane, before spinning to miraculously avoid a second, more serious impact with the wall. While there was light contact elsewhere, Waters spin was the biggest single moment in what was a rare Safety Car free race.

On Lap 52, Mostert pitted from P3 as Waters came in from what was P4 after the spin and somehow managed to soldier on with only minor damage.

Reynolds’ steering wheel issue was quickly solved when he made his second and final pit stop on Lap 53, the team tightening the wheel in the stop and losing no time, as it was covered by the refuelling time – saving the race for car #26, which re-joined in seventh.

Three laps later van Gisbergen pitted from the lead, which he maintained given the 53-second advantage to Holdsworth, who was yet to stop. Mostert had charged to third, passing Will Davison, who’d driven a brilliant race to be in fourth ahead of teammate De Pasquale, a recovering Waters, Brodie Kostecki, Courtney, Winterbottom and Scott Pye once Holdsworth pitted in Lap 59.

Reynolds was now 10.9 sec behind leader van Gisbergen, with Mostert breathing down his neck having set faster and faster laps. Van Gisbergens’s lead grew as Reynolds defended against Mostert, whose initial pressure was resisted, Reynolds pulling a second on the Andretti United Commodore.

Mostert’s fight ran out of steam as Will Davison made it a three-car battle for second place, Reynolds pulling clear of both of them. Waters, meanwhile, poached fifth place of De Pasquale, and while the trio ahead squabbled, they would finish in that order – with Reynolds 16.8 seconds behind winner van Gisbergen.

Results: Race 31, Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500

Drivers’ championship

Teams’ championship