Scott McLaughlin: “We had to answer them after yesterday’s race”
Scott McLaughlin reclaimed the Supercars championship lead after an emotional victory in the final Pukekohe race that has provided him with a 14-point lead ahead of title rival Shane van Gisbergen with just one race weekend left of 2018.
“Today was massive for us. We had to answer them after yesterday’s race, and we did that today,” said McLaughlin.
The DJR Team Penske driver fought hard with Jamie Whincup who later handed second place to his Triple Eight team-mate van Gisbergen, a move McLaughlin says he expected.
“I expected it. I was kind of relieved but kind of like you ‘oh well, he didn’t really gain that much’. But it is what it is, and I think we probably would have done the same,” said McLaughlin to supercars.com.
The first race of the weekend saw van Gisbergen winning and ending the race in controversial style by parking so close in parc fermé that McLaughlin was unable to exit his car, a move that saw the New Zealand crowd react.
“It was the first time I’ve been booed,” said van Gisbergen.
“Everyone was saying how bad the social media storm was overnight but I didn’t read any of it, I went to bed and then came in and everyone was friendly and cheering for both Scotty and I.”
The 2018 Supercars season finale takes place on November 24-25th with the Newcastle 500.
