DRIVING along Conrod Straight in his Red Bull Racing Commodore holding a Holden flag after winning the Bathurst 1000 - it was an iconic moment and fitting tribute from Shane van Gisbergen.
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In his 14th attempt at the Great Race van Gisbergen finally got the victory he so badly wanted, holding off a determined Cameron Waters in the concluding laps.
But the victory was also significant for Holden.
The 2020 edition of the Bathurst 1000 is the last which will feature a factory-backed Holden outfit, which is why the 31-year-old's celebration with the red lion flag given to him by a fan was so special.
The #97 Commodore was part of that factory-backed team and his co-driver Garth Tander a man with strong links to the Holden Racing Team.
"I was thinking I'd pick up the chequered flag, then I saw the guy there and I thought I'd stop and grab it [flag]," van Gisbergen said.
"It's pretty significant for Holden to farewell them this way as the factory team and as an official race team."
Van Gisbergen made his Bathurst 1000 debut in a Team Kiwi Racing Ford in 2007 then the next five years steered a Stone Brothers Racing Falcon in the Great Race.
He switched to Holden in 2013 when signed by TEKNO Autosport, but it was a move to the Triple Eight Race Engineering camp three years later that made him really appreciate what it meant to drive a car with a lion badge.
"Starting at TEKNO, had some troubles, then joined Holden [Racing Team] and just remember ... all the Holden guys, how welcoming they were. It felt like family, I felt like a Holden driver, it's been pretty cool to be a part of," he said.
"Then becoming the factory team two or three years ago and having that weight upon your shoulders and representing them like that, it's pretty special.
"To win here in the last one for Holden is pretty cool."
While the members of the Red Bull Racing team, and other outfits along pit lane, congratulated van Gisbergen and Tander on their win, the Kiwi star said it did feel odd not to have a legion of fans there to watch.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, just 4,000 fans were permitted on race day and they were not allowed up the top of the Mount. They were also not allowed on the track after the race concluded.
"It was weird with no crowd and stuff. I've obviously experience being on the podium a couple of times, seconds, but it's still a special feeling, it still means as much as every other year," van Gisbergen said.
"The intensity of the race was crazy, the build up, how fast everyone was, so it still means quite a lot and hopefully next year big crowds can enjoy it again.
"It doesn't take anything away from it, but it would have been great to have that victory lap there with all the crowd, it was a bit lonely.
"It's cool like I'm just over the the moon with it, it's pretty cool to get one.'
Sunday's win was the third time van Gisbergen had stood on the Bathurst podium. he and Tander placed second last year while in 2016 he and Frenchman Alex Premat were runners-up.
