McLaughlin salutes record-breaking van Gisbergen

Scott McLaughlin has congratulated Shane van Gisbergen for beating his season wins record.

Van Gisbergen’s Repco Bathurst 1000 win was his 19th from 30 starts in 2022.

It helped him surpass McLaughlin’s previous marker of 18, set in 2019.

McLaughlin won 18 of the first 25 races three years ago, including the Bathurst 1000.

The now IndyCar title contender was the form driver of Supercars between 2017 and 2020.

In that time, McLaughlin won 48 races - a Ford record - and three straight titles.

McLaughlin took the record away from Craig Lowndes, who won a then record 16 races in 1996.

It took 23 years for a driver to break that record, and McLaughlin did so battling van Gisbergen.

The two Kiwis went to war at Pukekohe, where McLaughlin defeated van Gisbergen and won his 17th race.

McLaughlin then defeated van Gisbergen once again in a thrilling Great Race.

His closest adversary was van Gisbergen, who won the 2020 Bathurst 1000 - McLaughlin’s last Supercars start.

McLaughlin reposted a Supercars graphic regarding van Gisbergen’s 19 wins, paying tribute to his countryman.

"This guy is a true racer,” McLaughlin wrote.

"Someone I loved racing and beating, cause you knew you had beat the best on the day!

'This guy is a true racer'

"I’m stoked at least another Kiwi grabbed the record! Congrats mate.”

There are four races remaining in 2022 across the Gold Coast and Adelaide events.

Van Gisbergen can secure the 2022 championship on the Saturday in Surfers Paradise.

Considering his form, winning 23 races in total isn’t out of the question.

The two-time champion has won 10 of the last 12 races dating back to July’s NTI Townsville 500.

Van Gisbergen praised his team and race engineer Andrew Edwards in particular when posed with the record-breaking achievement.

“We’re not the best in qualifying, we’re not the fastest car,” van Gisbergen.

“But in the races, we seem to execute. Working with Andrew has been fantastic.

“When we’re under pressure, when things aren’t so good, he tunes the car up and goes about it.

“Along with the rest of the engineering group, we’re in a special place at the moment.

“Obviously it's going to change next year and be a lot more difficult, but this year’s been very cool."

Van Gisbergen will carry an extended 567-point lead over Cam Waters to Surfers Paradise.

The 2022 season will continue at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 on October 28-30.

Most wins in a season

*Season ongoing