"AWESOME, awesome day, fun, fun night".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That was how Scott McLaughlin described his feelings after being declared winner of a dramatic final race in the the Supercars All Stars Eseries round at Mount Panorama on Wednesday.
McLaughlin led the way into Murray's Corner on the last lap of the third and final virtual race of the Bathurst round.
Wildcard driver Brodie Kostecki then bumped McLaughlin, sending the Shell V-Power Racing star into the outside tyre wall.
Kostecki claimed the chequered flag ahead of McLaughlin and Red Bull Racing's Shane van Gisbergen, but was relegated to second after being handed a post-race penalty.
"That battle at the end of race three with Brodie and SVG was awesome, so good, great racing and while I was dirty when I got knocked off, I'm happy to take the win," McLaughin said.
"Brodie has been quick all week, so I knew I would have my work cut out for me. But it was great fun, loving this Eseries.
"Awesome, awesome day, fun, fun night, always good to race at Bathurst."
McLaughlin's win in the final 14-lap race added to a seventh then fourth placing in the two eight-lap races at the Mount. It sees him maintain his overall Eseries lead after three rounds.
It was Super2 regular Kostecki who topped qualifying at Bathurst, but when it came to the top 10 shootout he was nudged out for pole position by 0.009 seconds by van Gisbergen.
The star Kiwi went on to win the opening race ahead of Kostecki and Anton De Pasquale.
Race two saw a reverse grid format and it was McLaughlin's team-mate Fabian Coulthard who got the nod. Tickford duo Cameron Waters and Will Davison rounded out the all Ford-Mustang podium.
"That's actually my first Bathurst Supercars win, Eseries or not," Coulthard said.
"Awesome to get to spray some De Bortoli champagne again - it was a good night behind the wheel. I was disappointed after the first race, as I felt we could have had three top 10 results tonight. I've been putting in the time practising, and to get knocked out in that race was a shame.
"But as a blessing in disguise it put us on pole for the second race, which we went on to win and then a sixth to finish out the night."
With a 12th and fourth placings for the Bathurst round to go with his runner-up finish in race two, Waters retained his spot in second in the Eseries championship.
He trails McLaughlin by 86 points and is 14 ahead of third-placed van Gisbergen.
"Not a bad night tonight, I didn't qualify great after my quickest lap got taken off me with a wall rub," Waters said.
"I got on the podium in race two which was cool after starting P18, but the last race wasn't as exciting for me. Will [Davison] and I had a bit of a race going, and I got under him at Forrest's Elbow, I don't think we touched as I had pulled it up and I didn't get an incident point, but he spun which was a bummer."
