Supercars: Scott McLaughlin resumes his bid for back-to-back crowns in Sandown practice
Scott McLaughlin has made his return to the track after his horror Gold Coast smash in practice for the Sandown 500 and is ready to launch back into his bid for back-to-back Supercars titles.
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Scott McLaughlin declared it was “business as usual” for his Supercars title assault after a trouble-free return to the track from his horror Gold Coast smash in practice for the Sandown 500.
In a brand new chassis after his record-breaking Mustang was wrecked in the terrifying high-speed crash last round, McLaughlin was third fastest in opening practice yesterday for the lead drivers to erase any doubts after the accident that hit pause on his title chase.
As Holden's David Reynolds set the pace with a practice lap record, the series leader said he had put the crash behind him as he resumed his bid for back-to-back Supercars crowns.
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“It was like I just restarted again and just got on with it,” McLaughlin said after returning to the track.
“There was no nervousness or anything it was just straight back into it.
“That's gone, we're race drivers and you are prepared to crash sometimes and the risk that's involved and all that sort of stuff.
“Certainly you replay the crash over and over more so why it happened and stuff like that … but (it's) all good.”
McLaughlin can wrap up the Supercars championship with a round to spare if he can finish with a lead of 300 points or more after Sunday's 500km race.
The Bathurst winner has a 463-point buffer over his closest rival, Red Bull Holden Racing Team's Shane van Gisbergen, ahead of the final round of the endurance season.
After Sandown, there is just one round left to race at Newcastle.
McLaughlin said he would approach the weekend the same as any other round.
“I just want to execute the best I can and if I can get a decent result out of it with good points that's the main thing," McLaughlin said.
“If we lose some points on Shane, we do, (or) if we wrap it up this weekend, we do. For me, it's just business as usual.
“I've just got to try and use the gap to my advantage I guess in some ways. I've got an opportunity to have a crack like I did last time, but we know the consequences of that as well.”
DJR Team Penske had to build a new car in a week before the trip to Melbourne for the Sandown event after McLaughlin’s qualifying crash on the Gold Coast.
McLaughlin said the new chassis, which had a shakedown at Queensland Raceway earlier in the week, drove well after its first serious hitout at the Melbourne track.
“We have got a better package than last year so it makes it a lot easier to drive," McLaughlin said.
“We have got a really good fight this weekend, but it will just be the weather that everyone is fighting really.”
Originally published as Supercars: Scott McLaughlin resumes his bid for back-to-back crowns in Sandown practice