Kiwis Shane van Gisbergen and Richie Stanaway are the 2023 Kings of the Mountain, putting in an impressive performance to claim a dominant win.
 
Starting from sixth on the grid, the pair had strong race pace throughout the day to cross the line more than 20 seconds ahead of their nearest rivals.

The Red Bull Ampol Racing pair didn’t have it all their own way though, with steering dramas causing concerns in the dying stages of the race.
 
Ultimately, van Gisbergen managed to steer his Camaro to the line – securing a historic victory in the great race’s 60th anniversary.
 
Championship leader Brodie Kostecki, along with co-driver David Russell, secured second place at the Repco Bathurst 1000, ensuring Kostecki heads into the final two rounds of the Repco Supercars Championship season with points in hand at the top of the standings.

While Kostecki blew the field away in qualifying and the Top Ten Shootout, his race pace remained strong – but the Coca Cola Racing by Erebus Camaro also had its own steering dramas at the tail end of the race, leaving him unable to challenge van Gisbergen for the win.
 
Anton De Pasquale and co-driver Tony D’Alberto rounded out the podium, the fastest of the Ford Mustangs in third – finishing only 13 seconds behind Kostecki and Russell.
 
van Gisbergen, who is enjoying his last season as a full-time Supercars driver before he moves to the United States in 2024, was understandably emotional about his third Bathurst 1000 victory.
 
“What a feeling and Richie did just a stellar job all day,” van Gisbergen said post-race.


“Thanks to Red Bull Ampol Racing and thanks to all these fans. I’m really going to miss it and I love this place – I’ll be back.
 
“This is a perfect way to say goodbye for now.”
 
Stanaway, who will join the Championship next year as a full-time driver with Penrite Racing, was also thrilled to be standing on the top step of the podium.
 
“It’s definitely at the top (of my list of achievements) for me. It’s an unbelievable feeling and a childhood dream of mine to win this race so I can’t believe it,” Stanaway said.
 
“It’s been incredible to be part of this team. Teaming up with Shane, I knew we had a good shot, but you never know at this place. The last 60 laps were the longest two hours of my life. I can’t describe the feeling right now, couldn’t be happier.”
 
In front of a huge crowd at Mount Panorama, it was a competitive battle throughout with a host of impressive drives, as well as hard luck stories up and down pit lane.
 
One of those to miss out on a potential podium place was Broc Feeney and Jamie Whincup – the pair suffering a gearbox issue while running in third place that forced them into the garage and eventually out of contention after falling several laps behind.
 
The Supercars teams will now focus on the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 later this month, with crews converging on the iconic Queensland street circuit on 27-29 October for the penultimate round of the Championship.