Haber wins Bathurst, SVG seals title
10 Jun 2020
Shane van Gisbergen has survived a late-race tangle to be crowned champion of the inaugural BP Supercars All Stars Eseries.
WATCH: HABER, VAN GISBERGEN UNLEASH CELEBRATORY BURNOUTS
Van Gisbergen entered the Bathurst decider with a 108-point buffer from Kiwi compatriot Scott McLaughlin, meaning fifth would be enough to secure the silverware.
It was the wildcard duo of Harley Haber and Brodie Kostecki who stole the show to fight it out at the front, Haber jumping the latter off the start line.
Kostecki got back ahead by virtue of an undercut before Haber forced his way by at Griffins Bend – and from there he would cruise to victory.
But all eyes were on the title battle a little further back.
McLaughlin blotted his copybook in an attempt to undercut the lead pack, collecting the tyre barriers on pit entry at the end of lap three.
His #17 Mustang would be bruised and battered by the finish, ultimately ending a lap down – but van Gisbergen himself nearly threw it away in an attempt to pass Anton De Pasquale for second on the penultimate lap.
Van Gisbergen spun De Pasquale at Forrest’s Elbow and the situation was made more awkward as the Penrite Racing Holden struggled to get out of the wall while van Gisbergen waited to redress.
A penalty did not eventuate, but Kostecki and Chaz Mostert did jump the pair to join Haber on the podium.
Fifth was enough for van Gisbergen to clinch the title, having ridden a dominant wave of form through the second half of the Eseries.
Fourth-placed De Pasquale meanwhile did enough to beat Cameron Waters to third in the final standings.
Broc Feeney, Zak Best, Andre Heimgartner, Waters and Nick Percat finished sixth through 10th, with McLaughlin classified 22nd.
PIRTEK Memorable Moments
Race 30, Oran Park
Lap 1: Shane van Gisbergen holds the lead as Brodie Kostecki spins Harley Haber and Anton De Pasquale sneaks past both into second
Lap 4: Fabian Coulthard passes Mark Winterbottom into the final corner
Lap 6: Zak Best wobbles out of the pits right in between van Gisbergen and De Pasquale
Lap 6: McLaughlin is the first of the lead quartet to pit, with van Gisbergen covering him off the next time around
Lap 13: Coulthard tries to replicate his Winterbottom pass, this time on Scott Pye, but it ends with the DEWALT Racing Commodore spinning
Lap 16-18: McLaughlin, van Gisbergen and De Pasquale pit in consecutive laps, in that order
Race 31, Bathurst
Lap 1: Haber jumps polesitter Kostecki to take the lead
Lap 1: Will Davison and Bryce Fullwood collide spectacularly at Griffins Bend, and David Reynolds soon spins
Lap 1: Macauley Jones speared into the fence as he tries to squeeze by Reynolds into pitlane
Lap 3: Kostecki and McLaughlin pit early, the latter clobbering the tyre barrier on the way in
Lap 4: Haber and De Pasquale pit now
Lap 6: Haber locks the rears in trying to make a move on Kostecki into Griffins and bumps his rival wide to take the lead
Lap 13: Van Gisbergen spins De Pasquale at Forrest’s Elbow but redresses the situation after De Pasquale eventually gets going again
Lap 14: McLaughlin finds himself with major damage and is unable to make it to the finish line as van Gisbergen seals the title
