Van Gisbergen slots in behind McLaughlin, Skaife

For the second year running, Shane van Gisbergen has taken his season wins tally into double figures.

Van Gisbergen extended his points lead as he won both races at last weekend's NTI Townsville 500.

Saturday marked his 10th win of 2022, and he backed it up on Sunday to score win No. 11.

On both occasions, van Gisbergen was forced to defeat a Shell V-Power Racing Team driver.

He overhauled Will Davison in Race 19, before denying Anton De Pasquale in a bizarre finish in Race 20.

De Pasquale sent van Gisbergen into a spin at the final corner, and the former was penalised.

It helped van Gisbergen to his 10th victory at Reid Park, bringing him two shy of all-time Townsville winner Jamie Whincup.

Van Gisbergen became the fifth different driver to win 10 or more races after 20 starts in a season.

He joined Scott McLaughlin as the only drivers to have done it twice.

Both McLaughlin (2019 and 2020) and van Gisbergen (2021 and 2022) did it in consecutive seasons.

McLaughlin won a whopping 14 of the first 20 races in 2019; he won four more and the overall title.

McLaughlin won a record 18 races in 2019

Mark Skaife won 13 of the first 20 races en route to his third straight title in 2002.

Both Skaife (2002) and McLaughlin (2019) added Bathurst wins later in their respective seasons.

There are at least 14 more races left in 2022; van Gisbergen needs seven more wins to match McLaughlin's all-time season wins record.

The next stop on the calendar, Tailem Bend, is a Ford stronghold; Mustangs have won eight of the last nine Bend races.

From there, the season heads to Sandown, where van Gisbergen won all three races in 2021.

The 2022 season will resume at the OTR SuperSprint on July 30-31. Purchase your tickets now.

Most wins after first 20 races of a season

Most wins in a complete season

*Season ongoing