Newcastle 500 Sunday Recap - The Finale
23 Nov, 2017
TODAY’S TIMES
Qualifying
Qualified: 21st – 1:11.0290s // Provisional Pole Position: Mark Winterbottom – 1:10.2010s
Top Ten Shootout // Pole Position: Scott McLaughlin
Race 26 (95 Laps / 250kms) // Finished: 16th // Winner: Jamie Whincup
THE WORD FROM TIM
Newcastle provided the picture-perfect setting for the finale, and the on-track battles had everyone talking today. The race was full of dramatic twists and turns that kept fans on the very edge of their seats. It was all decided in the very final moment, with Jamie Whincup securing his 7th Supercars title when Scott McLaughlin was handed a post-race penalty for contact with Craig Lowndes on the penultimate lap of the race. Tim fought his way yet again into the top 20, with his pacey Team CoolDrive Commodore driving him home in 16th position.
TIM
“It was a pretty eventful race today. For me, I struggled a little bit in the middle sector of the race; overall I was happy to come home with 16th and a straight car.”
“There was very much an end of season feel to that race, there were a lot of moves being made that they maybe wouldn’t have done at the start or middle of the season. It was game on for everyone, it was obvious with the amount of battles going on out there.”
“Looking back at the season I’ve got mixed feelings for 2017, it hasn’t had a huge amount of highlights for us. The team as a whole has had a really tough season and haven’t been able to really get into the development we’ve wanted to until the last few events. With that being said I’m looking forward to the 2018 season starting and I think we’ll have a stronger package next year.”
2017 CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
1 – Jamie Whincup - 3042
2 – Scott McLaughin - 3021
3 – Fabian Coulthard - 2812
4 – Shane Van Gisbergen - 2769
5 – Chaz Mostert - 2748
22 – Tim Blanchard - 1302
COMING UP
2018 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship
Lights out for the Adelaide 500 in March 2018!
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