Repco Supercars Championship leader Shane van Gisbergen has dominated Race 25 at Sandown as his rivals for the title faltered.
Starting from pole, van Gisbergen was unchallenged for much of the 36 lap duration as he took full advantage of the woes experienced by his key title contenders as Mobil 1 Optus Racing’s Chaz Mostert finished back in second ahead of Will Brown for Boost Mobile Racing by Erebus.
Brown won out in a tight battle with Penrite Racing Mustang driver David Reynolds, with Scott Pye of Nulon Racing fifth from R&J Batteries Brad Jones Racing’s Andre Heimgartner and Cameron Waters for Monster Energy Racing, who dropped multiple positions to place seventh.
Following a poor result in qualifying to be outside the top 10, Shell V-Power Racing Team’s Anton De Pasquale was eighth ahead of recent Supercars returnee Subway PremiAir Racing’s James Golding and Red Bull Ampol Racing’s Broc Feeney, who completed the top 10.
It was a rough start for Waters after losing the jump to van Gisbergen as he ran wide at Turn 1 after contact with Mostert as Feeney behind made the best start from the second row to take advantage, snatching third.
Waters was not out of trouble after this as Reynolds made a robust overtake at Turn 1 later in the race, as did Brown through the following sequence of corners completing the move at Turn 4.
Boost Mobile Racing by Erebus teammate Brodie Kostecki endured a tough run compounded by smashing into the rear of IRWIN Racing’s Mark Winterbottom as he limped to 23rd.
Another driver to experience woes was yesterday’s race winner Will Davison as he was penalised a pit lane drive through, with the team lowering the Mustang off its jacks before the rear wheel change was completed. This left him in 15th.
By scoring the race victory and the fastest lap, van Gisbergen now holds a 446-point lead in the standings.
The final race of the Sandown SuperSprint will begin at 4:20pm AEST.