Tekno Podium Triumph
Jonathon Webb and Shane van Gisbergen scored a sensational two-three result for Tekno Autosports in the first race of the Sydney MRMA Motoring & Services 500.
For Webb it was a welcome return to form in what could be the last race of his career as a full-time V8 Supercar driver.
But for van Gisbergen it was a continuation of his reputation as the most aggressive driver on the track.
Webb led the first two laps of the 250km race before being passed by eventual winner Jamie Whincup, but ran solidly up-front throughout in his Darrell Lea Holden Commodore VF.
Van Gisbergen’s race was far more spectacular, involved in a series of incidents as he charged back through the pack after stacking in pitlane, culminating in a clash that put Lockwood Commodore driver and fellow New Zealander Fabian Coulthard into the wall as they battled for third on lap 73.
“At the end I just wanted it so bad because I could see it would be a double podium and I had a pretty fast car and Fabian was struggling,” said van Gisbergen.
“I just put it up the inside and he tried to cover, but you are not really allowed to move under brakes and I was too committed and he kept pinching me really. I think at the point of the corner where we made contact I was far enough up, but I guess I will see it on TV.”
But van Gisbergen was earlier involved in an incident with Dick Johnson Racing’s Tim Blanchard, which ended with the Falcon embedded in the turn one tyres.
“At a street circuit you have to be pretty aggressive to make the passes and a few guys didn’t like that I don’t think.”
The young Kiwi was docked 25 Championship points for his efforts with Coulthard.
“You have got to do what you have got to do to make the moves and the passes,” van Gisbergen said.
The incidents followed on from a controversial Sargent Security Phillip Island 360, which resulted in van Gisbergen being labelled as “a moron” by Ford Performance Racing boss Tim Edwards after he clashed with Will Davison.
Meanwhile Webb’s future has been under question for some time as his Tekno modified road car business grows and wife Kobe, who is CEO of the Tekno V8 Supercars team, is expecting their first child.
While van Gisbergen is expected to stay in a Tekno Commodore in 2014, Webb is still to announce if he will be going on.
“Only time will tell,” he said. “From the side of the team and my involvement there is to give Shane everything to come back next year and give Jamie a run for his money for that number one.
“There is obviously a lot going on in my life, my wife is pregnant and she currently runs the business, so we just need to reshuffle where we are at. For me it is just enjoy where I am it. Potentially (Sunday) is my last race.
“We could recover something and we will be back in March or it could be that is it, I am done. But I have no other stresses, no other problems, I will just go out there tomorrow and try and win the race.”
The final race of the 2013 Championship season will unfold today, after a12.40pm AEDT qualifying session.
