Shane van Gisbergen to assess Gen3 cars before deciding future
2022 Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen remains coy on his future as the sport turns to a new era in 2023 and beyond. Plus, all the news from the Adelaide 500.
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Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen remains adamant the success of the new Gen3 cars will determine his future in the sport, saying he wants racing in the series to “go bonkers” again for him to commit long-term.
Van Gisbergen capped one of the most dominant seasons in Supercars history when he was officially crowned 2022 champion after the final race of the season at the Adelaide 500 on Sunday.
After sealing the title on the Gold Coast last month, van Gisbergen finally got the chance to celebrate his third championship – and second consecutive title – in style with a series of epic burnouts following his seventh-place finish.
As his rookie teammate Broc Feeney celebrated his maiden win in Holden’s last race, it was a tougher day for van Gisbergen, who was slapped with a drive-through penalty for a safety car restart infringement.
Van Gisbergen has taken all before him in Supercars in 2022, winning a record 21 races, the Bathurst 1000 (with Garth Tander) and the drivers’ championship.
Out of contract at the end of the next year, van Gisbergen remains noncommittal about his long-term future in the sport as he waits to see how the new Gen3 cars perform.
Triple Eight and the Supercars’ Holden fleet will switch to a Chevrolet Camaro for the start of the sport’s Gen3 era.
Van Gisbergen, who has enjoyed cameos in other series this year including the World Rally Championship and Le Mans, said he wanted Gen3 to succeed but needed the racing to improve.
“We have had pretty good chats about extending, but I want to wait and race the car,” van Gisbergen said
“There is so much talk about what’s going to happen and how it’s going to be and I honestly don’t know, I haven’t driven the car since April.
“It wasn’t great in April. They have made a lot of changes, probably most positive, but for some reason, most of the established guys haven’t been allowed to drive it or help develop it, which is fine.
“It’s a big thing to commit to in the future if it’s no good. But I really want Gen3 to succeed.
“I want it to be awesome and I want the racing to be great and I would love to be a part of it.
“If the challenge is good, it’s going to be very close next year, it will hopefully bring the teams together and hopefully it brings good racing and the series will go bonkers.
“That’s what I really want to see, but I’ll just be patient with it.”
Triple Eight team boss Jamie Whincup said van Gisbergen had a seat at the team for as long as he wanted one, but was confident the new Gen3 car would appeal to his star driver.
“Shane has got a gig at Triple Eight as long as he needs or as long as he wants to,” Whincup said.
“But we don’t employ or contract anybody who doesn’t want to be here. We are giving him the opportunity to experience Gen3 to decide which way we are going to go.
“But I am confident in the car, Triple Eight has designed the car from the ground up. We’re confident it is going to be a good thing.
“I’m not too concerned at this stage.”
Van Gisbergen was sitting in third position in the race when he copped the drive-through penalty for an infringement following the safety car restart, but he wasn’t happy the call from stewards took as long as it did.
He had earlier been in doubt for the top-10 shootout after a pit speed infringement, but was eventually allowed to take his place.
“I thought about it the last few laps and then settled down. The decision is what it is,” van Gisbergen said.
“If I was right or wrong, it doesn’t matter, but waiting 15 laps or 10 laps is just average. It was a pretty average call.
“I did all that work and it was a lot of fun to get back to the podium and then they give you a drive-through so much later, but it is what it is.”
“It’s been a mental weekend. I’m never changing my number again.”
Van Gisbergen celebrated his championship win with a series of epic burnouts around the trophy in pit straight. He somehow managed to keep the wheels of his Commodore spinning as he got out of the car to salute the crowd and celebrate his title.
“It was pretty cool,” van Gisbergen said.
“I wanted to do something to beat (Russell) Ingall’s skid. His skid (in 2005) is all-time best ever so hopefully it rivalled it.
“I just like winging stuff. I asked some friends what I should do because I just wanted to beat Ingall’s thing.
“I didn’t plan it too much.”
Triple Eight completed a dominant season, winning the drivers’ championship, Bathurst 1000, the teams’ championship and the final win of the season.
RISING STAR GIVES HOLDEN VICTORIOUS FAREWELL
Triple Eight young gun Broc Feeney has sent the iconic Lion off with a famous victory in its farewell race in Supercars after claiming his maiden win for the “best moment of his life” in the final V8 battle between Holden and Ford.
After Chaz Mostert led home an emotional one-two finish for the Walkinshaw Holdens in Saturday’s 250km race, Feeney put his name in the history books by becoming Holden’s final race winner in the end of an era for the Commodore in Sunday’s Adelaide 500.
As the last factory-backed Holden team in Supercars, Triple Eight secured its 190th win in a Holden with Feeney’s victory - the most wins for any team for the famous brand.
As his teammate Shane van Gisbergen was officially crowned 2022 champion after another rough day on track when he copped a drive-through penalty and finished seventh, Feeney capped his first season in style as he led home a Holden one-two ahead of Mostert.
The 20-year-old rookie held off Mostert’s fierce chase at the end of the race, putting the two teams which represented Holden as factory-backed squads at the top of the podium.
Feeney celebrated his famous win with a series of burn outs on the Adelaide street circuit before van Gisbergen followed suit around his championship trophy.
In hot conditions for the 78-lap race, Dick Johnson Racing’s Anton De Pasquale came home third having earlier completed a front-row lock-out for the team in the top-10 shootout.
Feeney described his first victory and Holden’s last as the best moment of his life.
“I can’t believe it ....I felt like the win was always so close and to get it at the last race in front of all these fans for Holden it means so much,” Feeney said.
“I wanted to get the first win all year and I left it pretty late, but the car was awesome and everything fell our way today. I knew it was coming, it was just a matter of time and I just had to put all the pieces together.
“In that race I was out to show that hopefully next year I can be a contender.
“I was just so stoked, Chaz had me under pressure but I felt like we had a bit more speed, but those last few laps were pretty tough just trying to stay focused.
“I’m always going to remember this one, the last ever one for Holden, my first ever win, I can’t thank everyone (enough) for coming out. It’s been an awesome weekend.
“I don’t know what to say, it’s probably the best moment of my life so far.”
The young gun became the second-youngest driver to win a race in Supercars and the youngest driver to win the overall event at the Adelaide 500.
He finished his rookie season in Supercars sixth in the drivers’ championship.
Triple Eight team boss, and the driver he replaced in the No.88 car, seven-time Supercars champion Jamie Whincup, hailed the young star’s breakthrough win.
“To see Broc grind it out all year, young kid, he has come under plenty of pressure stepping into the best team and he had all the pressure on him and he has come out and won the final race,” Whincup said.
“It’s going to give him massive confidence, it is going to be a huge plus that he has won today and he goes into the off-season knowing he is good enough to win a Supercar race.
“Sixth in the championship, he has done a fantastic job. So what happened today is just a bonus for me.’
Mostert said he threw everything at catching Feeney at the end of the race, but was thrilled to make the podium for Holden again after his win on Saturday before the team switches to Ford for the start of the Gen3 era next year.
“If you had said on Friday that you would get two Saturday and Sunday Holden (wins), Walkinshaw would win and go one-two on Saturday and then you’d have another one-two with two more Holdens on Sunday, you’d almost think you’d want to buy a lotto ticket,” Mostert said.
“We fought really hard today and tried to push Broc as hard as I could to the finish line.
“The young bloke, he channelled his inner Lowndesy (Craig Lowndes), I think, and the kid around here, did pretty good today.
“It’s kind of fitting that the Holden motorsport team won today.”
The return of the Adelaide 500, which was last held in 2020, was embraced by motorsport fans with 258,200 people attending the event across four days to farewell Holden.
The crowd figure was 50,000 more than what attended the 2020 event.
FORD TOPS THE FRONT ROW FOR FINAL HOLDEN RACE
Ford completed a front-row lock-out for rival Holden’s farewell race in Supercars after Anton De Pasquale claimed the final pole position of the year ahead of Dick Johnson Racing teammate Will Davison at the Adelaide 500.
After Chaz Mostert led home an emotional one-two finish for the Walkinshaw Holdens in Saturday’s 250km race, the Ford Mustangs set the pace in the top-10 shootout on Sunday.
De Pasquale clinched the final pole of the year for Sunday’s 250km race – and the final battle in the current generation cars before the sport launches its Gen3 era next year.
The DJR duo finished ahead of Triple Eight pairing of Broc Feeney and champion-elect Shane van Gisbergen, whose place in the shootout had been under a cloud after a pit lane speed limit infringement during earlier qualifying.
The start of the shootout was delayed slightly while officials debated whether van Gisbergen, who was fourth in qualifying, should be allowed to take part.
Van Gisbergen was eventually cleared to take his place in the shootout, but lamented he had “too much sh*t going on in my head” after the pre-shootout drama.
While he was sixth in the shootout, Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters claimed the overall pole award for the year after finishing with 10 poles for the year ahead of Davison (nine).
De Pasquale’s pole was his fourth for the year and his first since Perth in April.
“It felt good … it hooked up awesome, the guys have done an amazing job,” De Pasquale said.
“To get the last pole of the year is awesome, obviously (we) want to convert that to a trophy this afternoon.”
After his Saturday win, Mostert will start from fifth on the grid for Sunday’s race.
MOSTERT LEADS EMOTIONAL ONE-TWO FOR WALKINSHAW HOLDENS
Chaz Mostert delivered Holden the first victory of its farewell event in Supercars after leading home what he hailed as a “fairytale” one-two finish for Walkinshaw Andretti United in a dramatic opening race at the Adelaide 500.
In the former Holden Racing Team’s final round before its switch to Ford for Gen3 next year, Mostert survived a race of attrition as the race contenders fell around him to win his fifth race of the season as his WAU teammate Nick Percat came in second.
Bouncing back from a poor shootout performance, which saw him start from seventh on the grid after topping qualifying on Friday, Mostert claimed his first Adelaide 500 win to ignite the emotion among the Holden faithful ahead of the iconic Lion’s last ever race on Sunday.
In a race that featured three safety cars, the dual Bathurst 1000 champion kept his nose clean late in the battle after pole sitter Cam Waters’ race was cruelled after he was slapped with a drive-through penalty for a lap 53 incident.
Champion-elect Shane van Gisbergen made a bold start to his bid to win from last, pushing up to the front of the field before two race incidents ended his hopes and he finished 20th.
Tickford Racing veteran – and former long-time HRT driver – James Courtney finished third after a challenging lead-in to the race after his baby son needed surgery last week.
WAU was the original HRT squad from 1990 to 2016 when it lost its factory backing to Triple Eight with Mostert and Percat’s Commodore’s featuring a tribute retro livery as a tribute to the famous brand this weekend.
Mostert said it was a special result to deliver WAU a one-two finish in Holden’s final round.
“For Walkinshaw Andretti United to go one-two, the old HRT team with its special livery, the only way it could be better is if it was on a Sunday,” Mostert said.
“You never take these for granted, it’s pretty special.
“It’s special to share the podium with Nick. This year, there has been ups and downs for both of us but for him to get a podium here for the team, a one-two, it’s a fairytale.
“I’m sure it’s a fairytale for the Holden fans as well.”
The victory was WAU’s first at the Adelaide 500 since Courtney won for the team in 2016.
Percat’s result was his first podium since Sydney last year after a challenging season, in which he sits 15th in the driver standings.
The long-time Holden driver, who had started the race from 20th position, rated his result with Mostert as better than his Bathurst victory as a rookie in 2011 with Garth Tander.
“That’s the coolest thing I have ever been involved in,” Percat said.
“For me watching this race as a young kid and being a tragic HRT fan, those last four or five laps, I was like ‘This is unbelievable’. I watched this as a fan climbing a tree to see these kinds of moments as a kid.
“It’s a pretty surreal and amazing story for our team, with these liveries, and what the Holden brand means …. to everyone at WAU.
“I said if I got on the podium it would probably be better than the (2011) Bathurst win because I was not actually driving the car (at the finish), but a one-two with these liveries, I am going to say it is better.”
After starting the race on pole position, Waters’ race hopes were scuttled after he copped a five-second pit-lane penalty after he nudged Todd Hazelwood into the wall on lap 53.
He finished the race in 13th place, but was not happy about the penalty after the race.
“We started good, we had a good start, led half the race and the car was an absolute jet,” Waters said.
“I don’t know which car, I think it was a Truck Assist car, decided to turn in … and left me no room and got a drive-through for something I don’t think I deserved.”
Starting from 25th on the grid after a qualifying shocker on Friday, van Gisbergen’s early attack descended into a rough day on track.
The Triple Eight star initially charged through the field at the start of the race, making up seven positions on the opening two laps.
But van Gisbergen first came into trouble when he made contact with Mostert after a safety car restart on lap 41, but then put his car into the tyre wall at turn 11 on lap 48.
He said he needed a “reset” ahead of Sunday’s final race of the season.
“I was pushing hard all race and obviously made a few mistakes today,” van Gisbergen said.
“Chaz and I came together at one point and I was worse off after the collision, but it is what it is. Later on, I made an error and just missed the turn, hit the marbles, which were pretty bad out there and unfortunately hit the fence.
“We need a big rest overnight, I need to do better, be calmer and make sure the car is straight so we can do a better job tomorrow.”
SHOOTOUT DRAMA: ‘GUT-WRENCHING’ REASON RANDLE COULDN’T RACE
Cameron Waters has claimed pole for Saturday’s opening race at the Adelaide 500 after his teammate Thomas Randle was controversially denied his place in the top-10 shootout when he narrowly missed the starting cut-off following a massive repair effort on his car.
In a dramatic prelude to the Saturday shootout, Tickford Racing boss Tim Edwards was locked in animated conversation with Supercars head of motorsport Adrian Burgess when he was told Randle could not take his place in the shootout as the team had fallen short in its efforts to get his Mustang repaired in time.
Supercars rules stipulate the car must be at the pit exit as the session starts and Randle was due to be the first car out.
There was more drama after the shootout when it emerged Grove Racing’s David Reynolds was under investigation by the stewards for a rear-wing height breach.
He was later disqualified for the technical breach.
Reynolds set the third-fastest time in the shootout but came under immediate investigation afterwards for a rear-wing height breach.
The 2017 Bathurst 1000 winner will start from 10th for Saturday’s race.
Randle’s place in the shootout had been in doubt after he was involved in a big crash at the high-speed turn eight in the practice session just 65 minutes earlier.
The Ford driver suffered major damage to the left-hand side of his car after cannoning into the concrete at the 210 km turn late in the session.
Despite missing the shootout, Randle will start Saturday’s race in 10th position where he qualified on Friday.
But Waters’ pole, his ninth for the season, eased some of Tickford’s disappointment.
Waters took pole ahead of Team 18’s Scott Pye, while provisional pole sitter Chaz Mostert was ninth fastest.
“It was a good result for the team, but it would have been nice to have three cars in the shootout,” Edwards said.
“To get pole was good for the team to pick them back up after the disappointment of 20 minutes before that.
“To be honest we didn’t even think we were going to get out for the shootout and then the guys have done what they have done so many times this year, they just pushed and we were very close.
“Unfortunately, you have got to be at the pit exit as the session starts and we were about 10 seconds away.
“There is a 30-second window to get down there when you are the first car. Unfortunately, we didn’t quite make it by 10 seconds.
“Personally, I’m all about the show. I think the show missed out there.
“It’s just gut-wrenching for the team because the effort they put in to get that car out and they have had to do it so many times this year.”
Burgess said Supercars officials asked the stewards for leniency with Randle but were denied as the rules “were black and white”.
“We were in the hands of the stewards running the event and unfortunately the rules are pretty clear, you have to be at (the) pit exit for the start of your run,” Burgess said.
“Another minute and they would have been there. We tried to get a little bit of leniency allowing them to be rolled into the pit exit but we weren’t given that.
“The rule is pretty black and white unfortunately, you need to be there at the start of your run.”
Waters, who sits second in the Supercars standings behind champion-elect Shane van Gisbergen, now has more poles for the year than any other driver and was aiming to convert in Saturday’s first race.
“I’m super pumped to be starting on the front row, I think we have got a pretty good race car,” Waters said.
“It’s going to be very hot (for the race) … I think being up the front will be pretty good for us.”
‘PISSED OFF’ SVG IN ADELAIDE QUALIFYING SHOCK
Champion-elect Shane van Gisbergen seethed he was “pretty pissed off” with himself after finishing last in a major Adelaide 500 qualifying shock as Chaz Mostert took provisional pole to kick-start his team’s bid to end its final Holden event in style.
As Mostert booked his ticket to Saturday’s top-10 shootout with a qualifying lap record on the Adelaide street circuit, van Gisbergen was left at the back of the field for Saturday’s opening race following a costly error on his hot lap at the end of the qualifying session.
Leaving his charge at a flying lap until late, van Gisbergen was on target to move up the order before he ran off the track at the final corner and was unable to improve on his time.
The error means the Triple Eight star not only missed out on a place in the top-10 shootout, but will start 25th and last for Saturday’s opening 250km race.
V8 legend Mark Skaife described it as a “very un-Shane like” mistake for the 2022 series champion-elect and Bathurst 1000 winner.
Mostert set the pace for Walkinshaw Andretti United with a qualifying lap record of 1:18.67 on the resurfaced track as nine drivers undercut the earlier record set by van Gisbergen set in the second practice session.
The dual Bathurst 1000 champion topped the qualifying session ahead of Dick Johnson Racing’s Anton De Pasquale, Team 18’s Scott Pye and Tickford Racing pair James Courtney and Cam Waters.
Van Gisbergen admitted he was pushing too hard in a car that “wasn’t great” and said his chances in Saturday’s race would now be “tough”.
“My qualifying run was just littered with mistakes,” van Gisbergen said.
“The car was very hard to drive, and I was probably pushing a bit too hard and didn’t back it down enough.
“I probably should have accepted to try and get into the shootout rather than go all out and I’m pretty pissed off with myself right now.
“The car obviously wasn’t that great and was impossible to drive on the limit, but we’ll have a catch up with the engineering group tonight and hopefully make some changes before (Saturday’s) final practice run.
“(Saturday’s) race is going to be tough, but we’ll try and get things right for Sunday.”
You've never seen Supercars like this before!!
— Supercars (@supercars) December 2, 2022
You are Cam Waters taking on the Adelaide Street Circuit 👀 #RepcoSCpic.twitter.com/rpg1sPO8cV
The original Holden Racing Team, WAU is aiming to send the iconic Lion out on a high in its final event in Supercars before it makes the switch to the Ford Mustang for the start of the sport’s Gen3 era next year.
Mostert backed his car’s pace to deliver in what he said would be an emotional weekend.
“This weekend, especially for our team and Holden finishing up in motorsport at the end of this year, it’s hard not to get caught up in those small session wins that you have,” Mostert said.
“It’s really cool to reward the guys …. It’s hard not to get caught up in the emotion.
“There is still a little work we can do, but overall the car is a lot more comfortable to drive than what we did in the first session.
“I just hope I can do a solid job tomorrow in the top-10 and get through our first race unscathed and see if we’ve got some pace, but it’s looking pretty good.”
But Mostert was not ruling out van Gisbergen making a comeback charge through the field.
“It’s Shane, so you’ve seen comeback drives from him (that are) unbelievable,” Mostert said.
“I’m sure they’ll have a good car underneath him for tomorrow. That thing has been pretty fast in a straight line, so I’m sure he’ll make some work of some people.
“Hopefully, we’re all starting far enough up the front that he doesn’t catch us, but we’ll see how we go tomorrow.”
It was an uncharacteristic qualifying error from van Gisbergen, who has taken all before him in Supercars this year.
He sealed his third Supercars championship, and his second consecutive title, on the Gold Coast last month and won his second Bathurst 1000 crown (with Garth Tander) in October.
The New Zealand ace has also won a record 21 races and claimed eight poles for the year.
Van Gisbergen’s former Ford rival turned-IndyCar star Scott McLaughlin backed the Triple Eight star to fight back in Saturday’s race.
“Certainly it is going to shake up a pretty good race for tomorrow,” McLaughlin said.
“Don’t put Shane in a corner, though, because he will come out swinging and it is going to be an exciting race from car No.1.”
‘OUT FOR THE KILL’: HOW FORD DRIVERS PLAN TO FAREWELL HOLDEN
Ford drivers declared there would be no room for sentiment in Holden’s Supercars farewell at the Adelaide 500 as Cam Waters vowed to “go out for the kill”.
As the Supercars made their return to the Adelaide street circuit for the first time since 2020, Ford finished with two of the top three drivers in Thursday’s opening practice session on the resurfaced track.
Tickford Racing’s Thomas Randle topped the crash-shortened session after “lucky” timing of his hot lap just before the session was red flagged with a minute to go when Brad Jones Racing’s Macauley Jones hit the wall at turn eight.
Erebus Motorsport’s Brodie Kostecki split the two Ford’s in his Commodore as Randle’s Tickford Racing teammate Waters finished third.
Featuring the champion’s No. 1 on his car – instead of his regular No. 97 – as a tribute to Holden, Supercars champion-elect Shane van Gisbergen finished fourth having set the pace earlier in the session.
But the Triple Eight star did not get the opportunity to improve on his time with the early finish to the session.
In the end of a V8 era, Holden will race its final laps in Supercars at the Adelaide 500 before it is replaced by the GM Chevrolet Camaro when the sport’s new Gen3 cars hit the track next year.
Waters said he wouldn’t be giving his Holden rivals an inch in the Lion’s last laps.
“(I’ll be) out for the kill, 100 per cent,” Waters said.
“It would mean a lot to everyone at Tickford if we got a win and a few poles.
“Obviously we’ve got the pole award we have got to fight for, so I’ll be throwing down a heaters this weekend and hopefully get that.
“And hopefully get a few trophies for the guys and we can celebrate Monday.
While conceding Holden’s farewell was the closing of a chapter in history, Randle said his focus was firmly on keeping the Fords at the front.
“It’s a big thing for Holden and for Australia, really. Ford and Holden Australia, every family at some point owned a Holden or a Ford,” Randle said.
“I guess in a way it’s a chapter of history coming to a close.
“But for us this weekend as Ford drivers, we want to keep it up the front.”
Kostecki said it was a “surreal” feeling knowing he would be racing a Holden one last time.
“Obviously 2020 was the last time we were here and the announcement that Holden were leaving, so for this round to be the last one for Holden and obviously being a Holden town it is going to be a big one,” Kostecki said.
“It feels a bit surreal at the moment, but it is happening and we are going to Gen3 next year with the Camaro.
“But I’m excited for the future and glad to be a part of the past.”
Randle admitted he had been lucky with the timing of his hot lap to put his car on top, but:
“It’s never a bad feeling (to be fastest) but (I’ve) got to be realistic, I think the timing of the lap was pretty lucky,” Randle said.
“I don’t know, but I don’t think there were many people that got a green lap in.
“It was a pretty decent lap, it was the first lap for me on the green and as I was doing the lap you realised how much more there is left so that will help us for tomorrow.
“It’s always a nice place to start.”
There was a moment of confusion towards the end of the session when a marshall held out the chequered flag early with three minutes to go, but the top three drivers said it did not impact their session.
Van Gisbergen has already sealed this year’s Supercars championship after clinching his second consecutive title on the Gold Coast last month as he took his season tally to a record 21 victories.
The Supercars have another practice session and qualifying on Friday ahead of 250km races on Saturday and Sunday.
SKAIFE: IT’S ALWAYS BEEN GENERAL MOTORS HOLDEN
Holden legend Mark Skaife says the job of ensuring the famous Lion’s rusted on fans can carry over to the new Gen3 era is “not lost” on Supercars ahead of what he predicts will be an emotional goodbye for the iconic brand in Adelaide.
But Skaife is confident the sport’s “authentic” red v blue rivalry – the cornerstone of V8 racing in Australia for decades – can live on through the General Motors Chevrolet Camaro and the Ford Mustang.
After a farewell tour that has lasted more than two years – since it was announced the brand would cease to be manufactured in Australia – the Holden Commodore will race its last laps in Supercars at the reborn Adelaide 500 this weekend.
The Commodore will be replaced by the GM Camaro for the start of the sport’s new Gen3 era, which begins in the opening race of the Supercars season Newcastle next year.
Skaife said it was incumbent upon Supercars and the sport’s new owners to ensure the traditional Holden fanbase transferred its support to the new GM racing product.
“That’s our job. It’s certainly not lost on us, within the new ownership and Supercars management that Holden has been such a powerful part of our journey,” Fox expert Skaife said.
“That rivalry has been a cornerstone to the success of what we have today.
“John Crennan, who was the founder of HSV and HRT, said to me recently ‘It’s much easier to keep a customer than it is to find a new one’ and I think that is absolutely the key.
“The key for us is to migrate as many of those Holden fans through the GM family. It’s always been General Motors Holden, so it’s not far-fetched for us to be able to take those Holden fans into GM land.
“Then within the GM brand there is a cool brand called Chevrolet and a cool successful, famous nameplate called Camaro, which is going to be the future of what that rivalry is.
“Those words from John keep echoing for me, you are far better to keep the customer than to try to generate something completely new or different, so that’s our plan.”
Holden has already had a winning send-off to its Supercars journey after Triple Eight star Shane van Gisbergen claimed this year’s Bathurst 1000 (alongside Garth Tander) and sealed the 2022 championship.
Walkinshaw Andretti United, the original Holden Racing Team before the factory backing shifted to Triple Eight, unveiled its own tribute livery on Wednesday for the brand’s farewell at the Adelaide 500.
Both Chaz Mostert and Nick Percat’s WAU cars will feature the famous HRT lion and helmet on the side.
Skaife was confident the Camaro and Mustang battle would allow the traditional Holden v Ford rivalry to continue to simmer, saying the Gen3 cars would have a much greater “road presence” than the current model cars to excite fans.
“This rivalry that we have got, it’s authentic. It’s not fake, it’s a proper rivalry,” Skaife said.
“And proper rivalry means that teams and drivers that are in this part of the world – the very best drivers that we have got – jump in our cars whether they are in a Ford blue Mustang or you’re in a Chevrolet Camaro, that level of vigour and the volatility and emotion and all the stuff that comes with competition between those team and drivers that won’t be fake. That is 100 per cent real and genuine.
“I see it straight away. I can’t wait for the fan reaction in Newcastle because you are going to see cars that have much greater road presence than our current cars.”
Skaife, who won four of his five Supercars championships in a Holden, expected an emotional farewell for the Commodore this weekend.
“This is the last time that we’ll ever see a Holden-branded race car in an official capacity in the premier (racing) category (in Australia),” Skaife said.
“There is so much emotion and history and connection, every family has got some sort of Holden story.
“I started to contemplate it at Bathurst because the significance of Bathurst and Holden winning there brought all those emotions out.
“For us, this weekend, it is going to be quite symbolic.”
TRIPLE EIGHT HOLDEN TRIBUTE REVEALED AHEAD OF LION’S FINAL ROAR
Champion elect Shane van Gisbergen and Triple Eight have unveiled special tributes to Holden as the powerful squad aims to send the famous Lion out with a roar in an emotional farewell to Supercars at the Adelaide 500 this weekend.
After taking all before him in Supercars this year, van Gisbergen confirmed he would make the switch to the champion’s No. 1 on his Commodore for the first time in a tribute to Holden’s success for the iconic brand’s farewell V8 race.
The dual Bathurst 1000 champion has elected to retain his own No. 97 on his car following his 2016 and 2021 title wins rather than showcase the champion’s No. 1
Van Gisbergen’s number switch came as Triple Eight unveiled its tribute livery which the champion and his teammate Broc Feeney will race in for Holden’s final dance, in the city which the famous Australian car manufacturing brand called home.
The New Zealand ace has won 73 races in a Commodore – only his Triple Eight team boss Jamie Whincup, Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife have had more wins in a Holden.
Having already sealed the 2022 championship on the streets of the Gold Coast last month and taken out a second Bathurst crown in Holden’s final dance at Mount Panorama this year, van Gisbergen has now turned his attention to sending the Lion off on a high.
“It will be cool to have the number one on my car for the last Holden race,” van Gisbergen said.
“We’re in a lucky position with the championship wrapped up that we can do something cool like this.
“It’s a thank you to the entire team because I know they’ve always loved running the No. 1 and have truly earned it this year.
“It also suits with the last race for Holden running the No. 1 on the side of the car. I’ve got great memories of Jamie and Skaifey running the No. 1 at the start of the season and winning on the streets of Adelaide.
“It was the manufacturing home of Holden, so hopefully it will be a meaningful tribute to the many employees past and present.
“It would be great to win the last race for sure, but if it can’t be me, hopefully it’s another Holden.”
A foundation of V8’s famous red versus blue rivalry, Holden will bid farewell to Supercars when it is replaced by the General Motors Chevrolet Camaro for the start of the Gen3 era next year.
In Holden’s final season in the sport, van Gisbergen has dominated to win a season record 21 races – 18 ahead of his closest rivals, Cam Waters, Chaz Mostert and Will Davison.
Since the start of its partnership with Holden in 2010, Triple Eight has won 189 Supercars races, six Bathurst 1000 victories, eight drivers’ championships (Whincup five and van Gisbergen three) and 10 teams’ championships.
Triple Eight was the last factory-backed Holden team from 2017 to 2020 when it was announced the brand would cease manufacturing in Australia.
The team’s predominantly white tribute livery features Holden logos and badges from its history throughout Supercars.
“There’s certainly no underestimating the significance of this year’s Adelaide 500 – the last Supercars event for the roaring Lion,” Whincup said.
“Seeing the Holden badge cross the finish line for the final time on Sunday on its home soil will no doubt pull a heart string.
“Triple Eight’s relationship with Holden started in 2010, and we’ve shared so much success over that time.”
Walkinshaw Andretti United, the original long-time factory Holden Racing Team before the backing went to Triple Eight, is also set to unveil its own Holden tribute livery on Wednesday.
V8 STAR REVEALS SON’S EMERGENCY SURGERY SHOCK
James Courtney is set to take his place on the starting grid at the Adelaide 500 after a “traumatic” health scare for his infant son.
Courtney and his wife, Tegan, revealed on social media their six-week-old baby, Kobe, had been rushed to hospital for emergency surgery on his digestive system last week.
The couple said Kobe, who was born the week after the Bathurst 1000, was now back at home from hospital and “feeling so much better”.
Tickford Racing confirmed Courtney would still race in the final round of the Supercars season at the Adelaide street circuit this week.
The couple thanked their support network for helping them through a “very traumatic and difficult week”.
“Kobe was rushed into emergency early last week which resulted in him needing surgery asap on his little digestive system,” the couple shared on Instagram.
“Never did we ever imagine that our six-week-old would be going under an anaesthetic for an operation at such a young age.
“We would like to thank our family and close friends that helped us get through this very traumatic and difficult week.
“We are so glad to be finally home from the hospital with our little man who is looking and feeling so much better.”
Kobe is the first child for Tegan and the third for Courtney, who has a daughter, Zara, and a son, Cadel, from his previous marriage.
The baby boy’s arrival just days after Bathurst came just five weeks after the new parents tied the knot in a secret ceremony at the Brisbane registry in front of just a few close family members in early September.
Courtney is a two-time winner of the Adelaide 500, in 2014 and 2015.
The 2010 Supercars champion’s past two events have been marred by crashes.
Courtney’s Bathurst 1000 campaign ended on lap five when his co-driver Zane Goddard was involved in early-race carnage.
After being forced to switch to the team’s spare chassis for the Gold Coast round, Courtney was then caught up in the major pileup on the Surfers Paradise track when he was left with nowhere to go amid the chaos.
TRIPLE EIGHT UNVEIL HOLDEN TRIBUTE AHEAD OF LION’S FINAL ROAR
Champion elect Shane van Gisbergen and Triple Eight have unveiled special tributes to Holden as the powerful squad aims to send the famous Lion out with a roar in an emotional farewell to Supercars at the Adelaide 500 this weekend.
After taking all before him in Supercars this year, van Gisbergen confirmed he would make the switch to the champion’s No. 1 on his Commodore for the first time in a tribute to Holden’s success for the iconic brand’s farewell V8 race.
The dual Bathurst 1000 champion has elected to retain his own No. 97 on his car following his 2016 and 2021 title wins rather than showcase the champion’s No. 1
Van Gisbergen’s number switch came as Triple Eight unveiled its tribute livery which the champion and his teammate Broc Feeney will race in for Holden’s final dance, in the city which the famous Australian car manufacturing brand called home.
The New Zealand ace has won 73 races in a Commodore – only his Triple Eight team boss Jamie Whincup, Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife have had more wins in a Holden.
Having already sealed the 2022 championship on the streets of the Gold Coast last month and taken out a second Bathurst crown in Holden’s final dance at Mount Panorama this year, van Gisbergen has now turned his attention to sending the Lion off on a high.
“It will be cool to have the number one on my car for the last Holden race,” van Gisbergen said.
“We’re in a lucky position with the championship wrapped up that we can do something cool like this.
“It’s a thank you to the entire team because I know they’ve always loved running the No. 1 and have truly earned it this year.
“It also suits with the last race for Holden running the No. 1 on the side of the car. I’ve got great memories of Jamie and Skaifey running the No. 1 at the start of the season and winning on the streets of Adelaide.
“It was the manufacturing home of Holden, so hopefully it will be a meaningful tribute to the many employees past and present.
“It would be great to win the last race for sure, but if it can’t be me, hopefully it’s another Holden.”
A foundation of V8’s famous red versus blue rivalry, Holden will bid farewell to Supercars when it is replaced by the General Motors Chevrolet Camaro for the start of the Gen3 era next year.
In Holden’s final season in the sport, van Gisbergen has dominated to win a season record 21 races – 18 ahead of his closest rivals, Cam Waters, Chaz Mostert and Will Davison.
Since the start of its partnership with Holden in 2010, Triple Eight has won 189 Supercars races, six Bathurst 1000 victories, eight drivers’ championships (Whincup five and van Gisbergen three) and 10 teams’ championships.
Triple Eight was the last factory-backed Holden team from 2017 to 2020 when it was announced the brand would cease manufacturing in Australia.
The team’s predominantly white tribute livery features Holden logos and badges from its history throughout Supercars.
“There’s certainly no underestimating the significance of this year’s Adelaide 500 – the last Supercars event for the roaring Lion,” Whincup said.
“Seeing the Holden badge cross the finish line for the final time on Sunday on its home soil will no doubt pull a heart string.
“Triple Eight’s relationship with Holden started in 2010, and we’ve shared so much success over that time.”
Walkinshaw Andretti United, the original long-time factory Holden Racing Team before the backing went to Triple Eight, is also set to unveil its own Holden tribute livery on Wednesday.
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