Super finish expected in Newcastle

Thursday 22 November, 2018

It's going to be a big weekend in Newcastle.

The 2018 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship season will wrap up this weekend with a dramatic finish expected to take place at the Coates Hire Newcastle 500.

Only 14 points separate current leader Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen making the remaining two races essentially a case of winner takes all.

With a maximum of 300 points available, the title could easily end up in the hands of either driver.

In what’s going to be an all New-Zealand tussle for the Australian championship, the first race of the weekend will undoubtedly be the most important of 2018.

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN

Pole Positions: 12
Race wins: 8
Races as Championship leader: 17

McLaughlin didn’t have the greatest start to the year, picking up only one race win in the first eight weeks, but since surpassing his Kiwi compatriot in the eighth race in Tasmania, McLaughlin has held the Championship lead for the majority of the year.

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Best Case Scenario: Wins the title.

Win the first race and he will be at least 26 points ahead of van Gisbergen meaning there is less pressure in the second race and he can still win the title even if he finishes two positions behind van Gisbergen.

Doomsday Scenario: A poor first race.

Despite McLaughlin being the to take out the Championship, a poor result in the first race could well and truly destroy his chances.

SHANE VAN GISBERGEN

Pole Positions: 5
Race wins: 7
Races as Championship leader: 10

van Gisbergen had an amazing start to the season, his opening two rounds victories putting him in first in the standings for seven weeks, but the rest of the year hasn’t all been smooth sailing.

Simply, van Gisbergen has two ways to win the title. A win in either race and a finish above McLaughlin in the other race is one way to while finishing above McLaughlin in both races anywhere on the grid will seal the Championship for the number 97.

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Best Case Scenario: Wins the title.

The Holden Commodore VF pilot would secure the title with two race wins, the obvious path to victory for van Gisbergen.

Even if he wins Saturday’s race and McLaughlin finishes second, he will still trail by two points, meaning he still has to finish above his fellow Kiwi again on Saturday.

Worst Case Scenario: A result outside the top-five.

Red Bull Holden Racing Australia’s great white hope for a consecutive title will be over should he finish either race outside the top five.

If he finishes the first race in fifth, he will fall 53 points behind McLaughlin ahead of Sunday’s final race, making the 2018 title highly unlikely.

LAST TIME THEY MET:

Last year, McLaughlin took out the opening race with teammate Fabian Coulthard finishing second, while van Gisbergen crossed the line in 16thand his teammate Jamie Whincup in 21st.

In a bizarre twist of fate, Whincup and van Gisbergen secured a golden one-two double, taking out the title in the process while McLaughlin limped to the line in 18th after a controversial finish and penalty handed Whincup the Championship.

At the end of the weekend, McLaughlin left with 201 points while van Gisbergen banked 195 points.

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THE CRUCIAL POINTS EACH RACE:

Winner: 150 points
Second: 138 points
Third: 129 points
Fourth: 120 points
Fifth: 111 points
Sixth: 102 points
Seventh: 96 points
Eighth: 90 points
Ninth: 84 points