Shane van Gisbergen won the first V8 Supercars support race to the 2014 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Friday.
Michael Caruso started the race from his and the Nissan Altima’s first V8 Supercars pole, but Tekno Holden driver van Gisbergen lunged down the inside at Turn 1 on the first lap to take the lead.
Jamie Whincup made a bold move for the lead at Turn 3, driving around the outside of both Caruso and van Gisbergen, but the reigning champion could not make the move stick and slotted into second as van Gisbergen forced him wide on the exit.
Caruso’s poor first lap continued as Scott McLaughlin grabbed third in the GRM Volvo with a bold move down the inside at Turn 13.
Whincup looked racey in the early stages and put van Gisbergen under pressure, with the leading group closing up behind them as they battled. Triple Eight Holden driver Whincup had to get defensive coming out of the final turn on lap three, forcing McLaughlin onto the grass on the inside of the start-finish straight and allowing van Gisbergen to escape to victory.
Van Gisbergen raced on to score a comfortable six-second win, while Whincup held on narrowly to beat McLaughlin’s Volvo to runner-up spot. Caruso completed the top four, ahead of Fabian Coulthard and Garth Tander.
Championship leader Craig Lowndes, James Moffat, Chas Mostert and Todd Kelly completed the top 10 in what proved to be a tame conclusion.
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