March 2, 2015 - Lucas Oil’s Shane van Gisbergen has finished second in a thrilling finale to the Clipsal 500, the first round of the V8 Supercars Championship.
Van Gisbergen challenged James Courtney for the lead several times in the 250km race, but was unable to get past to claim his second Clipsal 500 title.
“It was an awesome race. I wouldn’t normally be happy with second, but it was an epic last stint,” Van Gisbergen said.
“Through the middle I didn’t really know what was happening with strategy, but it worked out in the end.
“Two times I was on the second last corner kerb and was asked to pit, and I didn’t know where we were going to come out in that last pit stop, but I had better tyres [than Courtney] and good speed.
“It was really cool to be pushing the whole way. I thought I was going to get a cheeky dive past him, but didn’t get a chance. I really enjoyed it.”
In Saturday’s twin 125km races, Van Gisbergen showed the pace of the TEKNO Autosports Commodore, charging from 11th to sixth in race one.
He held fifth for most of the second race, but was spun in a passing manoeuvre gone wrong by Tim Slade mid-way through the race, and was forced to work his way back to 13th.
Van Gisbergen feels the longer races are better for both the fans, and the drivers.
“Saturday’s races were a bit boring with everyone on the same strategy, but more tyres and strategy made for a good race on Sunday,” he said.
Van Gisbergen will get back behind the wheel of the Darrell Lea STIX/Lucas Oil Commodore for the non-championship round at Melbourne’s Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix, an event he dominated last year.
The Australian Grand Prix takes place Thursday, 12 – Sunday, 15 March, with the second round of the championship two weeks later at Tasmania’s Symmons Plains.
2015 V8 Supercars Championship Series
Top 10 Drivers' Championship Points
Top 10 Teams' Championship Points
