Enduro Cup To SVG. Is The V8 Supercar Championship Next?

Shane Van Gisbergen and Jamie Whincup, RBR Australia, Sydney Supersprint. (C)

    The Pirtek Endurance Cup has been run and won, and the spoils of victory fall to Red Bull Racing's Shane Van Gisbergen and Alex Premat. Now with two rounds to go and co-drivers exiled until next year, it seems like a straight shootout amongst Red Bull Racing Australia's two mail protagonists. A mere 148 points separate them. When the tyre smoke clears at the final Sydney 500, who will reign victorious? Shane Van Gisbergen or Jamie Whincup?
    Let's not get ahead of ourselves though. Cast your mind back to that amazing Bathurst 1000. Be honest. Who picked it? Did anyone expect Team Tekno's Will Davison and Jonathon Webb to triumph at Mt Panorama?
    Then there was that penalty. Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell may have passed the chequered flag first, but incurred a time penalty for causing an avoidable collision. As Whincup was pressuring the Volvo of Scott McLaughlin, he locked his rear brakes sending one up the inside at The Chase, made contact, thereby depositing McLaughlin into the kibble. As McLaughlin was re-entering the circuit, the ever present HRT of Garth Tander sensed an opportunity to pass. However, a collision ensued, taking out Tander and McLaughlin, prompting the stewards to issue Whincup with a time penalty.
    Are there other things to consider though? Would the penalty have still been issued if there was no collision between Tander, McLaughlin and Whincup, and the subsequent retirements? Whincup, after all, realised he caused McLaughlin to leave the circuit and was trying to redress when the collision occurred. Shouldn't the stewards have considered them two separate incidents? If so, wouldn't that render Tander at fault?
    It's all consigned to history now, with opinions forever divided. Could the championship points deprived of Whincup at Bathurst be the difference with Van Gisbergen when the final chequered flag drops at Sydney Olympic Park? Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Chao....     

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