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Dane: We wanted to put pressure on McLaughlin

29 Nov 2017
Triple Eight wanted to make McLaughlin earn maiden title
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Triple Eight set out to put pressure on Scott McLaughlin on Sunday in Newcastle as he sought to wrap up a maiden Supercars title, Roland Dane says.

Red Bull Holden Racing Team’s Jamie Whincup started the weekend with a 30-point advantage over McLaughlin, but the tables turned on a Saturday Dane classed as his squad’s worst in memory.

The Shell V-Power Racing driver won the race and Whincup tangled with Michael Caruso’s Nissan on the opening lap, losing 13 laps to repairs and crossing the line 21st.

That meant McLaughlin started the final race with a 78-point lead, needing only to finish 11th if Whincup won.

McLaughlin started on pole again and led early, but his afternoon unravelled with three penalties, the last issued on the final lap after McLaughlin tangled with Triple Eight’s third Commodore of Craig Lowndes.

With Whincup victorious, the penalty dropped McLaughlin out of the crucial 11th place he had crossing the line, giving Whincup a seventh title.

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“I’d call it one of the most exciting days of motor racing that I’ve ever seen anywhere,” Dane told Supercars.com.

“And a brilliant race for the fans watching on TV and live at the track. Extraordinary.”

McLaughlin spent the first stint of the race just ahead of Shane van Gisbergen, who ultimately finished second after handing the lead to team-mate Whincup mid-race.

drove him into the wall.

“Craig would’ve preferred it not to happen, because he’s trying to get sixth in the championship. Craig was taking him on, as he’s entitled to do.

“But if I was Scotty, I probably would’ve done the same thing.”

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