McLaughlin enthused by 'awesome' welcome

Scott McLaughlin has been subject to an “awesome” welcome back to the Supercars paddock on the Gold Coast.

McLaughlin is making his first Supercars event appearance since Bathurst 2020 — a whole 740 days ago.

That day, McLaughlin finished fifth in the Great Race and made his third Supercars title official.

Shortly afterwards, he jetted off to the United States and began his IndyCar career.

After a trying rookie campaign in 2021, McLaughlin turned up the wick in 2022.

The Team Penske driver won from pole in the St. Petersburg opener, and won twice more.

He was fourth overall by season’s end, with Australian teammate Will Power winning the title.

McLaughlin recently arrived in Australia with wife Karly, and visited the Supercars paddock on Friday, complete with Shell V-Power cap.

McLaughlin with Jess Yates and Mark Skaife on Friday

The 56-time Supercars race winner watched Practice 1 from the Shell V-Power Racing Team garage.

A full two years after his last visit, and with two IndyCar seasons in tow, McLaughlin was delighted by the warm welcome.

“I had to leave USA where it’s winter there now, it’s nice to have a bit of summer,” he said on the broadcast.

“It’s awesome to be back in the Supercars paddock, see lots of old faces, some old rivals.

“Just cheer on Shell V-Power for one weekend, I’ll be a bit more on the scale with Adelaide.

“I’ll be looking forward to analysing all my old rivals, it’ll be a lot of fun.”

McLaughlin will join the Supercars broadcast team for the season-ending VALO Adelaide 500.

In the weeks leading into his TV cameo, McLaughlin will catch up with friends and family he hasn’t seen since he moved Stateside.

McLaughlin won three IndyCar races in 2022

“I’m here to have a good time, I’m having a lot of fun seeing a lot of people,” he said.

“And a lot of my friends, I haven’t seen them since I left Bathurst that time.

“COVID and all that stuff, it made things hard, it’s awesome to be back, awesome welcome.

“Now I’m just gonna sit back and have a few beers at the beach chicane for a weekend and enjoy it."

McLaughlin’s 2021 IndyCar struggles were highly-publicised, and the driver himself vowed to turn the tides in 2022.

He did so in style, McLaughlin winning three races and being a title contender right to the very end.

The New Zealander’s journeys have caught the attention of many former rivals, including champion-elect Shane van Gisbergen.

Van Gisbergen recently broke McLaughlin’s 2019 record of wins in a season in Bathurst.

For McLaughlin, IndyCar remains well and truly the focus, but being back in the Supercars paddock was a reminder of where his journey gained momentum.

“Everyone has been really supportive,” he said of his IndyCar career.

“Shane’s texting me all the time… it’s been a lot of fun learning.

“It was a hard 2021, I put a lot more pressure on myself than I should’ve.

“I feel really comfortable with things… but I do miss home, I do miss Supercars.

“To win my first race and get my first race… to get three of them, unreal.

“I’m pinching myself, but Supercars set me up on the trajectory that I’m on.

“It’s hard work, working with Ludo [Lacroix], working with my team.

“They made me believe in my ability and believe in my hard work."