Fabian Coulthard dedicated his Symmons Plains win and one-two finish for the Shell Power-V team to the support staff who worked hard in the background to achieve it and make the front men look good.
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After great performances at the Grand Prix for the DJR Team Penske pair Coulthard agreed it was a monkey off their back to grab their first Supercars win.
“I’d like to think so because we really struggled here last year but we’ve got areasonable car – Scotty’s was unbelievable in the wet and mine was good in the dry and we consolidated and came away with the win,” he said.
“The guys did a great job with the pit-stops and I didn’t have to stack – I was second in the queue so great communication throughout the team and Ludo (Lacroix) is rapt and the smile on Dick’s (Johnson) face gets bigger by the minute.
Coulthard was confident the Shell Power-V cars could continue to take the challenge and rivalry to the Red Bull Holden Racing Team.
“We just keep improving that car week in week out and focus on what we’re doing and hopefully the results will speak for themselves.”
McLaughlin said he was also stoked for himself and the team.
“I knew I had to take that pit-stop to prevent stacking and the team having a bad result so to communicate that and get that right and have two cars up the front – we were second and third but obviously Chaz made a mistake when he was in the lead and we got one and two.
“It was a fantastic day for everyone and I’m probably more stoked for Fabian for the hard work he has done and I’m come in at the right and I’m a very lucky boy to drive a car that’s good.”
Whincup was happy with his first podium of the year saying he had good car pace and but for Cam Waters heading him off at the hairpin and pit-stop outcomes the result might have been a different story.
“That was the story of our day we had all the ingredients but a couple of small things didn’t get us on the first step of the podium,” he said.
“I got fixed up a little bit at the Grand Prix as well so maybe I have to step it up.
“There is a little bit of dog eat dog out there at the moment which isn’t a bad thing but maybe I have to adjust and have probably been a bit soft.”
Whincup was guarded when asked for his reaction to the decision for Red Bull Team to lose their points from the accident-interrupted race 3.
“I can’t comment because whatever I say about yesterday will get smashed one way or the other.
“At the end of the day we went out and did our job and whether we get points or not or the win or not is up to other people to decide and we’ll take what comes our way.”
Major overnight rebuilds at Brad Jones Racing, Garry Rogers Motorsport and Mobil 1 HSV Racing ensured a 22-car field for the finale to the Tasmania SuperSprint.
Only those withdrawn after Saturday’s crash - Will Davison (Tekno), James Courtney (Mobil 1 HSV), Rick Kelly (Nissan) and Taz Douglas (Lucas Dumbrell) were non-starters for race 4.
Meanwhile, Davison remains in doubt for the next event at Phillip Island in two weeks time after spending the night in hospital complaining of lower back pain following a heavy hit amid a 12-car pile-up in Saturday’s race.
Davison underwent a series of scans that have revealed a suspected fracture to his back.
“There are currently more scans and tests being done to confirm that initial diagnosis and make sure there are no other hidden injuries” Davison’s manager David Segal confirmed to Supercars.com.
“He’s got some belt trauma as well and while he is in reasonable spirits, he’s had a pretty tough night and not feeling fabulous.
“It looks like he won’t be able to fly until tomorrow and from there it’ll be a process of recovery.”