Shane van Gisbergen wins Bathurst 1000 after brutal start in Supercars

Shane van Gisbergen said a second win at Bathurst was taking time to sink in after he roared home to seal a repeat of his 2020 triumph with Garth Tander to give Holden victory in its final race around Mount Panorama.

After six hours and 43 minutes of thrilling and chaotic action in Australia’s great race, van Gisbergen passed the chequered flag to an explosion of fireworks just one second ahead of second-placed Chaz Mostert.

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.

“It’s a privilege to add to the tally of Holden wins,” van Gisbergen said. “It’s hard to put into words but it’s pretty cool.”

It followed a chaotic start at Mount Panorama after four cars were retired in two separate incidents. Zac Best’s car was the mountain’s first casualty, towed off the circuit after veering into the barriers.

When racing resumed on lap five, Zane Goddard’s Mustang left the track as he attempted to overtake and lost control re-joining the tarmac. He veered across the track and was smashed into by Dale Wood’s Holden, and Matt Campbell’s Ford Mustang joined the pile-up. All three cars were wrecked.

Van Gisbergen had previously enjoyed a 12.3-second margin aided by teammate Tander before Hazelwood’s incident triggered Sunday’s seventh safety car, then Davison went into the wall two corners after his final pit stop.

The New Zealander heroically defended his slim margin ahead of 2021 winner Mostert, who hounded him to the final corner, crossing for his his 73rd career victory and Tander’s fifth at Bathurst.

The win was record-setting