Shane Van Gisbergen has sent Holden out perfectly in the brand's final Bathurst 1000 in a thrilling and chaotic race.
Shane Van Gisbergen has sent Holden out a winner at Bathurst, surviving absolute carnage on the mountain to claim the famous race victory.
The weekend had been marked by chaos across the weekend after storms on Saturday resulted in the Top 10 shootout being cancelled for the first time in history and it was no different on race day.
But it was Van Gisbergen and his teammate Garth Tander who claimed the top step on the podium in a race that doubles as the final time Australia will see a Holden Commodore racing in the Bathurst 1000 with the Aussie classic getting replaced by the GM Camaro next year.
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The wet track wreaked havoc early after the race was yellow flagged seconds after starting when a five-wide collision ended up sent two cars sliding across the track, completing 720 degree spins.
The extraordinary start to the race resulted in multiple cars needing to return to the pits after Jack Perkins and Jamie Whincup were sent spinning out of control on Mountain Straight.
"They have made it 10 seconds into the race before we had trauma," commentator Neil Crompton said.
“This is going to be one of the storylines of the day. The minute you are off the asphalt here there will be absolutely in grip. For Jack Perkins, what a disaster."
A few laps later, Zane Goddard caused a huge incident as he attempted to rejoin the race track after coming off at The Cutting.
His move was out of control as he skidded over dirt and he went sliding across the track into the path of Dale Wood.
Wood's Commodore took heavy side-on contact and was forced into the wall at high speed.
It meant four cars were out of the race inside the first 10 laps.
It didn't get much better as within the first 60 laps, there were six safety cars deployed as the track began to dry and become more favourable for a classic finish.
Around the 100th lap of the race, the true extent of the carnage was revealed with only four cars remaining unscathed as most of the cars were held together by duct tape.
"Seriously, tell me you've ever seen that," Mark Larkham said.
But despite copping an early five second penalty, now-two time mountain conqueror Van Gisbergen and five-time Bathurst champion Tander ensured they were in the the right position to come home strong.
Even with safety cars late in the race which meant it was 15 lap sprint to the finish, Van Gisbergen and Tander reigned supreme, ahead of Chaz Mostert and Fabian Coulthard in second and Cam Waters and James Moffat in third.
"Shane van Gisbergen might do something special here this afternoon," Neil Crompton said in commentary late in the race. "He is 33 years of age. He made his debut in V8 Supercar racing back at in 2007.
"He has been supreme for most of the recent years. His balance, his fight, his passion for the sport is unrivalled. He has done an unbelievable job today under pressure. Over the top of the hill now for the last time."
Van Gisbergen then did the traditional donut, celebrating the famous win in style.
Shane van Gisbergen wins Holden’s FINAL RACE at Mount Panorama 🔴ðŸ¦
— 7Sport (@7Sport) October 9, 2022
He WINS the Repco Bathurst 1000! ðŸ†#7Motorsport | #Bathurst1000 pic.twitter.com/DmDOXiHl4X
"I just want to go do another skid, that was sick," Van Gisbergen said.
"I can't thank the team enough. Garth was just on it this year. It was very cool.
"Andrew [Edwards, engineer] this year has been epic, just every round getting more and more part of the team and doing such a great job.
"Now he's won the most ever races in a season as an engineer. It's pretty sick."
Van Gisbergen is 33 points short of wrapping up the Supercars Championship as well.
It was also his 19th win of the season, a record for the Championship.
Tander, who claimed his fifth title, was in disbelief.
"I don't really know what to say, to be honest," Tander said.
"Yeah, no words, right now. I can't really believe it. The guys did such a great job.
"Shane at the end of the race, how he can do that, just his focus and ability to punch out laps like that, seriously impressive to watch. Such an honour to be a part of this.
"Like you said, the last Commodore ever here at Bathurst, that'll sink in a little bit later I think. Can't believe it."
A fitting Mountain farewell for Holden ðŸ¦@shanevg97 and @GarthTander are the 2022 Repco Bathurst 1000 winners! #RepcoSC #Bathurst1000 pic.twitter.com/dv8oRFfpxA
— Supercars (@supercars) October 9, 2022
Holden wins Bathurst!!!! Day made!!!! pic.twitter.com/grqmQPmun9
— Troy Cassar-Daley (@troycassardaley) October 9, 2022
"Great victory! Bloody well done Shane and @GarthTander SVG JUST ROASTING THE BAGS!! Beautiful stuff," Gold 104.3 drive show host Dave "Higgo" Higgins tweeted.
You can read everything you need to know about the great race here.
Shane Van Gisbergen has claimed his second Bathurst and Garth Tander his fifth as the Red Bull Racing car became the last Holden Commodore to win the great race.
Van Gisbergen and Tander led most of the way and survive the eight safety cars and a late push from Chaz Mostert and Cam Waters to hang onto the victory.
The final pit stops are about to happen with the final fuel ups for the end of the great race.
The front runners have yet to come in and there's just over 20 laps left.
But just before this we saw Jack Smith crash out of the race when he hit the wall, adding more damage to his already beat up car.
A couple also went off roading but dodged ugly exits.
But then the eighth safety car of the day came out when Will Davison crashed into the wall.
It sparked several pitstops, including Shane Van Gisbergen.
But it also allowed Chaz Mostert to jump Brodie Kostecki into second after Kostecki was blocked by the recovery car.
Here's how Will Davison ended up in the wall 💥
— 7Sport (@7Sport) October 9, 2022
📺 LIVE & FREE on @channel7 & @7plus#7Motorsport | #Bathurst1000 pic.twitter.com/1w8slQCAVI
I see we're bringing Suzuka recovery vehicle drama to Bathurst as well. Heart stopping stuff. Poor Kostecki. That would have been terrifying. #Bathurst1000
— Alexander Grant (@AlexGrantOz) October 9, 2022
Kostecki was furious at the overtake and Erebus wanted a redress after he came out of the pits.
The commentators said Mostert had moved over but was avoiding water on the edge of the track but it forced Kostecki right behind the recovery truck.
This will be interesting.
Shane Van Gisbergen was holding a huge lead and appeared headed to a massive win but that's now down to next to nothing after Todd Hazelwood got stuck in the wall.
Van Gisbergen saw his lead evaporate as he was the next driver up as the seventh safety car of the day brought everyone back into the race.
It was utter chaos early as six safety cars in the first half of the race because of a wet track in some areas that dried soon after the race began, causing chaos for the drivers.
There were close calls and big spills throughout the early part of the day but the track was looking mostly dry for the finish.
Hazlewood's crash was the first in about 60 laps but brought the teams together with about one more pit stop to go in the race, making it a fascinating finish.
Hazelwood slammed his steering wheel after the crash before reporting in over team radio and saying: “I’m so sorry!”
Neil Crompton said: “There’s anger in that car. This is the compression that we needed and it’s going to be game on to the back end of the race. This has absolutely got them (Waters) out of jail.”
“This is going to be out of control! Shane van Gisbergen will be going: ‘Oh my god! I had 17 seconds to Kostecki, 25 to (Cam) Waters!’” V8s legend Mark Skaife said.
“It’ll be an absolute sprint race with the top contenders in play.
61 laps to go…
The opening half of this years Bathurst was absolutely wild and a photo shown about the halfway point showed just how wild it's been.
Mark Larkham showed an image of which of the 28 cars have received damaged in the race, with just eight cars making it through unscathed.
But in the 92nd lap – it was down to just four cars left unscathed.
"Seriously, tell me you've ever seen that," Larkham said.
It was also believed the Chris Pither and Cameron Hill car had also sustained rear damage so it may have just been three cars saved from the chaos.
This may well have changed since then as well with several big shunts and Nick Percat's crash adding to the carnage.
Luckily the sun is now out and it seems to be getting drier by the second.
Most of the cars also seem to be held together by duct tape. But the race is still anyone's with 73 laps to go.
Nick Percat had to nurse his way back to the pits after hitting the wall coming over the top of the mountain.
Ouch!
— Supercars (@supercars) October 9, 2022
A costly error for Percat #RepcoSC #Bathurst1000 pic.twitter.com/qEAbrbtBHt
Luckily he didn't cause the seventh safety car of the day, backing out but only just being able to nurse his way back to the pits.
Percat took the blame for the crash which pit himself and Warren Luff 10 laps behind.
"When I went to down change to second the dogs clashed in the gearbox and rejected the downshift," a dejected Percat told Motorsport.com.
"I ended up stuck between second and third and then in the fence.
"It's not ideal. The car was annoyingly good. I think it's one that got away. It was a comfortable podium car, to be honest, if not good enough for the race win."
There's been no safety cars for over 10 laps now but there have been no shortage of spills.
Greg Murphy was spun by Jake Kostecki but did exceptionally well to keep out of trouble.
And it was not a great contact as Kostecki got a 15 second penalty for his trouble.
Lap 75 top 10
We're only 57 laps in but we've just had our sixth safety car of the day as Macauley Jones beached his car at the sand trap at the pit lane entrance.
It's sparked yet another safety car but Jones was alright, needing all the sand and gravel removed before he restarted.
The all-time record of safety cars is 13 from the 2000 race, but this race is heading for the record if they keep going at this pace.
1. Waters/Moffat
2. Fraser/Lowndes
3. Van Gisbergen/Tander
4. Stanaway/Murphy
5. B Kostecki/Russell
6. Mostert/Coulthard
7. Payne/Holdsworth
8. O’Keeffe/Golding
9. D'Alberto/De Pasquale
10. Pye/Everingham
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