McLaughlin Bathurst winner arrives at The Bend

A famous piece of Bathurst history has found a new home at The Bend Motorsport Park ahead of this weekend’s OTR SuperSprint.

The 2019 Bathurst-winning Shell V-Power Racing Team Ford Mustang Supercar of Scott McLaughlin and Alex Premat has arrived at the South Australian venue.

The Bend's Welcome Centre has housed a number of historic Supercars, starting with Jamie Whincup’s dominant VE Commodore, in which he won the 2011 and 2021 titles.

Last year, The Bend welcomed, Broc Feeney’s ZB Commodore, which he helped to Holden’s final win in Adelaide as a rookie.

McLaughlin’s Mustang will be on display until its departure to the United States, given it is owned by former DJR Team Penske co-owner Roger Penske.

The car, chassis DJRTP06, is one of the most decorated Supercars in championship history.

Remarkably, the car didn’t race for a full season — but McLaughlin took it to record heights during its sensational stay.

DJRTP06 debuted at the hands of McLaughlin as the Mustang replaced the Falcon in 2019.

Reigning champion McLaughlin gave the new model a win in its first race at the Adelaide 500 and claimed at least one race win at every race meeting it started bar its last one.

McLaughlin took a then record 18 victories and 16 poles in 2019, all coming in the first 25 races of the season.

Sadly, the car was written off in a violent crash during Sunday qualifying at the Gold Coast 600.

While McLaughlin didn't carry the car across the line as he sealed his second title in Newcastle, its legacy will live on.

After the massive accident at the Gold Coast, the chassis was subsequently fully repaired by PACE Engineering.

Its Bathurst-winning hardware and panels have since been refitted ahead of plans for it to join DJRTP04 in the Team Penske museum.

Fans can view the car at the Welcome Centre at The Bend from this weekend’s Supercars round before it relocates to the Penske Racing Museum in Arizona.

“We are forever trying to blow fans and visitors of the Shell V-Power Motorsport Park away,” venue CEO Alistair MacDonald said.

“It is a privilege to host this iconic car in our Welcome Centre, which is truly the epicentre of our venue.”

McLaughlin won five races at The Bend between 2019 and 2020, and sealed his third championship at the venue in 2020.

Supercars will hit the track for the OTR SuperSprint on Saturday, with two practice sessions preceding qualifying and Race 20.