Van Gisbergen, Red Bull Ampol Racing win Fan Awards
Shane van Gisbergen has taken out Supercars’ fan-voted Most Popular Driver Award for a second year running.
The honour, voted on through Supercars.com, was awarded to van Gisbergen at the VALO Adelaide 500 on Thursday.
Van Gisbergen first won the award in 2021, the year he won his second championship.
The 33-year-old has repeated the feat, having clinched the 2022 title last time out in Surfers Paradise.
Van Gisbergen’s popularity has soared during a record-breaking season, which included a second Bathurst win.
The Kiwi has won 21 of the season's 32 races, and is determined to send Holden out on top.
Speaking on the broadcast, van Gisbergen was taken aback by the award.
"It's pretty humbling," van Gisbergen said.
"It's pretty awesome to win it, thanks to everyone who voted, and likes the way we go racing.
"It's amazing to win this one... I'm not the most outgoing person, but to have the respect of everyone, it certainly means a lot."
The Best Presented Team Award was also presented on Thursday, with Red Bull Ampol Racing taking out the gong.
The team last won the fan-voted award in 2016, the year van Gisbergen won his first championship.
It comes on a weekend the team celebrates Holden’s final Supercars starts.
Both Red Bull Ampol Commodores will carry a tribute livery, which pays homage to Holden’s long and storied history.
"It means a lot more than you'd expect," Team Principal and Managing Director Jamie Whincup said.
"The work that goes on to present the cars after the drivers trash them every race... you get them back out the next day looking brand new.
"It's a day's work to set up, it's a day's work to pull it down.
"We're the last team here on a Sunday night when everyone else has left."
The winner of the other fan-voted award, for Best Event, will be revealed at Monday night’s Gala Awards ceremony in Adelaide.
Cars will return to the Adelaide Parklands Circuit for Practice 2 on Friday at 1:15pm local time.
Friday’s schedule will also feature ARMOR ALL Qualifying for Race 33 at 5:35pm.
Tickets for the VALO Adelaide 500 are on sale on Supercars.com and Ticketek.com.
