Ford Performance Mustang Achieves Double-Podium At Penrite Oil Sandown 500
The Ford Performance Mustang Supercar has seen Shell V-Power Racing driver Scott McLaughlin record an unassailable lead in the drivers’ championship, with Tickford Racing recording a double podium in the last Penrite Oil Sandown 500 endurance race at the hallowed circuit.
“What an accomplishment for Scott after such a strong season. He’s been driving incredibly, and to secure his second drivers’ championship in Mustang’s first year is something we’re extremely proud of,” said Kay Hart, President and CEO, Ford Australia and New Zealand.
It was also a terrific result for Tickford – a really great effort from the entire team, and fantastic to see both the Supercheap Auto Mustang and the Bottle-O Mustang up on the podium.”
The Penrite Oil Sandown 500 event was the third event in the Pirtek Enduro Cup and penultimate round of the 2019 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, featuring two sprint races on the Saturday and the drawcard 161-lap, 500-kilometre endurance race on Sunday. Over the weekend, championship leader McLaughlin, with co-driver Alex Prémat, accrued enough points to become champion-elect for 2019.
“I’m just so proud of this team. We’ve been knocked around a fair bit this year, and they’ve just kept coming back. We started last today [Sunday], and just ground it out to get a Top 10 result. Thanks to Alex for his work this year. I’m stoked to have been able to get it done, but there’s still work to do for our team and sponsors in Newcastle. We want to win the Teams’ Championship and will be pushing hard to get that done,” said McLaughlin.
The first race of the Sandown weekend, Race 28, saw co-drivers compete, with Tom Randle in the Bottle-O Tickford Racing Mustang the highest place Ford in fifth, leading home sixth-placed Alex Prémat in Car 17 for Shell V-Power Racing, with Michael Caruso eighth in the Monster Energy Tickford Racing Mustang.
Alex Davison drove the Milwaukee Racing Mustang to 10th place, with Tony D’Alberto 13th in the second Shell V-Power Racing Ford Mustang.
Saturday afternoon’s Race 29 finishing order would set the grid of Sunday’s Penrite Oil Sandown 500 (Race 30), and saw the full-time drivers back at the helm. Will Davison drove the Milwaukee Mustang from 10th to fourth, leading both Shell V-Power Mustangs with Scott McLaughlin and Fabian Coulthard fifth and sixth respectively. Lee Holdsworth in the Bottle-O Tickford Mustang finished seventh, Mostert’s Supercheap Auto Tickford entry ninth and Cam Waters’ Monster Energy Tickford Mustang 14th.
The Penrite Oil Sandown 500 saw Waters’ bad luck continue, after co-driver Caruso was driven off track, damaging the Monster Energy Mustang, however the remaining five Ford Performance Mustangs finished strongly.
Chaz Mostert/James Moffat raced the Supercheap Mustang to second place after starting eighth and were followed home by Lee Holdsworth/Tom Randle in the Bottle-O Mustang to make it a double podium for Tickford. It was Holdsworth’s first podium since Winton 2014, while it was Penrite Oil Sandown 500 debutant Randle’s maiden podium in the premier category. Tickford also celebrated Will Davison/Alex Davison’s sixth after another strong event from the team.
“It’s been great to see some fortune come our way, especially after the last few events,” said Tim Edwards, Team Principal, Tickford Racing. “We’re really, really pleased for Chaz and James in P2, and it’s great to see Lee back on the podium and sharing it with Tom for the young bloke’s first ever main-game podium. We’re so proud. Some great speed from Cam and Michael thwarted through no fault of their own, and Davison’s sixth was positive. We move on to the final round at Newcastle full of confidence.”
Shell V-Power Racing’s Fabian Coulthard/Tony D’Alberto came home a solid fourth in the Number 12 Mustang, while Scott McLaughlin/Alex Prémat, who started 25th after a penalty, battled through the field to come home an impressive ninth, securing McLaughlin the driver’s title in the process.
Shell V-Power Racing now leads the teams’ championship by 116 points (6101). The Bottle-O Racing/Supercheap Racing Tickford team sits third on 5015 points, ahead of Monster Energy/Milwaukee Racing in fourth on 4732 points.
Round 15 of the 2019 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship will be held between 22 – 24 November with the Coates Hire Newcastle 500 in northern New South Wales. Tickets can be purchased via supercars.com.au.