Supercars: Scott McLaughlin steers Mustang to seventh win of season at Phillip Island

Scott McLaughlin’s championship charge has continued after he claimed his seventh victory for the season in another one-two result for DJR Team Penske at Phillip Island on Saturday.

Scott McLaughlin celebrates winning at Phillip Island on Saturday. Picture: Edge Photographics/Mark Horsburgh

Update: Scott McLaughlin’s championship charge has continued after he claimed his seventh victory for the season in another one-twor esult for DJR Team Penske at Phillip Island on Saturday.

After Shane van Gisbergen broke through to give Holden its first win of the season in Tasmania last week, McLaughlin hit back to put the Mustang on top again as the defending champion and teammate Coulthard consolidated their place at the front of the title race.

In a dramatic race that saw seven-time champion Jamie Whincup and Mark Winterbottom’s races cruelled by lost wheels, KellyRacing’s Andre Heimgartner achieved his best solo result to finish third behind the DJR Team Penske pair.

The Mustang now has eight victories from nine races this season as David Reynolds delivered Holden’s best result in the raceto finish fourth after starting 12th.

McLaughlin now has a 136-point lead in the championship ahead of Coulthard.

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“It’s great for the team one-two, we just controlled the race from the start which is awesome,’’ McLaughlin said.

“It’s awesome to get a win here again. I love this place.

“It’s great for the team, we are having a great season. We keep focused, there is a lot of hard work behind the scenes andI’m really proud of everyone.”

Earlier, McLaughlin continued his commanding qualifying record at Phillip Island to claim his seventh straight - and ninth overall - pole position at the track.

It was McLaughlin’s fifth pole for the season and gave DJR Team Penske a front row lock-out as he started alongside Coulthard,whom he held off in a tight and entertaining tustle off the start line and through the first turn.

“We know the rules, just race hard, clean and fair,’’ said Coulthard, who claimed his fourth second place of the season.

Scott McLaughlin powers around the Phillip Island circuit.

“That’s one ting I have for Scott is a lot of respect and it goes the same way back to me. I think you could see that throughthe action through turn one.”

But the form struggles continued for Red Bull Holden Racing Team’s Whincup, who suffered his worst qualifying result at Phillip Island since 2003 when he was forced to start from 17th position on the grid.

Whincup’s woes continued in the race when took off from his pit stop on lap 10 before the crew had properly bolted in his right front tyre.

Scott McLaughlin with Bass Strait as the perfect backdrop. Picture: Getty Images

With the wheel barely hanging on as he drove off, it didn’t last the following lap before the wheel came off and ended Whincup’s race and prompting the safety car.

Whincup had entered the previous round in Tasmania just 31 points behind McLaughlin in the championship race and he is now back in seventh place and 310 points behind.

Team 18 driver Winterbottom suffered a similar fate on lap 19 when his right rear wheel went flying off his car at high speed.

Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters’s race also ended early on lap 21 after he suffered right rear wheel damage after a battle with Shane van Gisbergen on track.