Extreme long shots: Podiums from low grid positions

Twice in 2021 has series leader Shane van Gisbergen claimed a podium finish from a lowly grid position.

Most recently, he raced from 13th to third in the second OTR SuperSprint race, which featured a first-lap tangle.

However, no one will forget his remarkable charge from 17th at Sandown - with a broken collarbone - to win.

Of the 24 full-time drivers on the grid, 17 have claimed podium finishes.

Of the 17, 14 have raced into the top three from 10th or lower on the grid.

Van Gisbergen heads the list, having claimed podiums from 10th or lower a whopping 14 times.

Three of the 14 have been wins: his Darwin breakthrough in 2011, from 12th in Townsville last year, and Sandown in March.

Seven of the 14 drivers have won from 10th or lower. The honour of the lowest-winning spot for active drivers is Chaz Mostert, who launched from 25th to win the 2014 Bathurst 1000

Van Gisbergen's third career top 10 finish came from 14th

Jamie Whincup has claimed a record 231 podium finishes, but on only four occasions has he raced from outside the top 10 to the top three.

His very first career podium, at the 2005 Sandown 500 for Tasman Motorsport, came after Whincup and the late Jason Richards started 13th.

He also won from 20th in the 2007 Winton opener, but his overall round win (main image) counts as his podium.

Former series champions James Courtney and Mark Winterbottom have both claimed top-three finishes from 10th or lower 10 times.

Courtney's Bathurst podium came from 11th

Both drivers have also won from 10th or lower twice - but both drivers haven’t won a race since 2016.

For reference, Craig Lowndes raced into the top three from 10th or lower 20 times, his first instance his run from 10th to first in Canberra in 2000.

Mark Skaife did it 12 times, famously winning from 38th (Adelaide 2000) and 30th (Oran Park 2006).

Scott McLaughlin did it three times, and two of them were wins - from 13th on the Gold Coast (2017) and 19th in Perth (2018)

Active drivers to have finished in the top three from 10th or lower

Shane van Gisbergen: 14 times14th to 3rd, Bahrain 201010th to 3rd, Darwin 201013th to 3rd, Gold Coast 201014th to 3rd, Homebush 201012th to 1st, Darwin 201117th to 3rd, Homebush 201111th to 2nd, Phillip Island 201221st to 3rd, Townsville 201312th to 3rd, Perth 201814th to 3rd, Winton 201811th to 2nd, Sandown 201812th to 1st, Townsville 202017th to 1st, Sandown 202113th to 3rd, Tailem Bend 2021

James Courtney: 10 times27th to 3rd, Ipswich 200611th to 3rd, Bathurst 200616th to 2nd, Adelaide 201013th to 3rd, Homebush 201215th to 1st, Adelaide 201416th to 2nd, Townsville 201511th to 1st, Gold Coast 201512th to 2nd, Townsville 201610th to 3rd, Gold Coast 201818th to 3rd, Bathurst 2019

Mark Winterbottom: 10 times24th to 3rd, Pukekohe 200610th to 2nd, Sydney Motorsport Park 200820th to 2nd, Winton 200817th to 3rd, Gold Coast 201114th to 1st, Homebush 201116th to 2nd, Sandown 201214th to 3rd, Gold Coast 201310th to 1st, Darwin 201414th to 2nd, Bathurst 201510th to 2nd, Winton 2016

Jamie Whincup: 4 times13th to 3rd, Sandown 200520th to 1st, Winton 200719th to 3rd, Sandown 201210th to 1st, Townsville 2014

Fabian Coulthard: 4 times11th to 2nd, Winton 201316th to 2nd, Gold Coast 201324th to 3rd, Perth 201510th to 2nd, Sydney Motorsport Park 2015

Nick Percat: 3 times11th to 3rd, Bathurst 201415th to 1st, Adelaide 201622nd to 3rd, Bathurst 2016

Scott Pye: 3 times20th to 2nd, Bathurst 201718th to 2nd, Bathurst 201810th to 3rd, Darwin 2020

Will Davison: 2 times10th to 3rd, Sandown 201617th to 1st, Bathurst 2016

Chaz Mostert: 2 times11th to 2nd, Sydney Motorsport Park 201425th to 1st, Bathurst 2014

David Reynolds: 2 times11th to 3rd, Phillip Island 201712th to 3rd, Tailem Bend 2018

Tim Slade: 1 time15th to 3rd, Newcastle 2017

Cameron Waters: 1 time14th to 2nd, Gold Coast 2017

Todd Hazelwood: 1 time12th to 3rd, Sydney Motorsport Park 2020

Bryce Fullwood: 1 time13th to 3rd, Tailem Bend 2020