Sunday 5th March
RACE WRAP
Shane van Gisbergen – Car #97 Qualifying Race 2 – FIRST (Fastest Lap: 1:19.2951) *New lap record* Top Ten Shootout – FIRST (Fastest Lap: 1:19.7545) Race 2 – FIRST Championship Standing – FIRST (300 points)Jamie Whincup – Car #88 Qualifying Race 2 – Second (Fastest Lap: 1:19.3335) Top Ten Shootout – 10th (Fastest Lap: N/A) *Kerb hop penalty, lap time removed* Race 2 – Sixth Championship Standing – Sixth (204 points) | | |
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Shane van Gisbergen – Car #97 “What a huge weekend, we all worked so hard. It’s a great start to the year, everyone has pushed through the off-season and everyone really deserves this result. It was a hard race, I had some fun battles. I struggled at the start, lost some time, it was all happening. Coming into the weekend we had a fair few unknowns, but it’s great to know that we know how the car performs, we know the car is fast. We cracked the big 300 podiums for Triple Eight today as well, which is an awesome milestone for the team. We can really head into the season knowing we gave the opener our all.” Jamie Whincup – Car #88 “Tough day, it started with the mistake I made in the Shootout. We fought hard, I’m pretty proud of what everyone’s done, we just can’t take a trick with the strategy. We put a heap of petrol in and really relied on a safety car. Who would have thought there would be no safety car in 250 kilometers! All in all, we had good car speed. Massive congratulations to SVG (Shane van Gisbergen), awesome team result. I just wish car #88 had contributed more than it did.” | | |
12:37pm – Well, they do say all good things come in 3’s…..Or 4’s….. Or 5’s……Anywaaaaay, SVG claims pole, again, with JW in P10.
10:40am – One-two step into the Shootout with SVG in P1, JW in P2.

9:30am – Hey, can I have your autograph?

6:00am – So, yesterday is going to be a TOUGH one to beat, but hey, all we can do is try right?

Saturday 4th March
RACE WRAP:
Shane van Gisbergen – Car #97 Practice 3 – Second (Fastest Lap: 1:19.9176) Top Ten Shootout – FIRST (Fastest Lap: 1:19.5723) *Lap Record* Race 1 – FIRST (Fastest Lap: 1:20.9659) *Lap Record*Jamie Whincup – Car #88 Practice 3 – FIRST (Fastest Lap:1:19.7649) Top Ten Shootout – Seventh (Fastest Lap:1:20.1604 ) Race 1 – Sixth (Fastest Lap: 1:21.4759) | | |
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Shane van Gisbergen – Car #97“Very hard day, but such an awesome result. I learned a lot about the tyre, how it goes in the heat and how it performs. The car is really good, it held up well, and once I got clean air towards the end I had a huge amount of pace. In my mind, we are nearly there with car setup, but the car isn’t perfect, so we will continue to push forward into tomorrow strong. Physically, it was a massive race, I really felt it when I got out of the car at the end. I’m stoked for the team to get this win, we’ve all worked so hard over the off-season and so to get to this point and kick off the season on a high note is an awesome success.” Jamie Whincup – Car #88“Really tough way to open the 2017 campaign. We had plenty of challenges today but I thought we fought hard and maximized our starting position of seventh. It’s so tough being the second car, as the risk of queuing is very high. There was a car in the wall at turn eight so we had to make a call to pit on lap one, we thought we made the right call at the time. I had a nice touch up with Frosty (Mark Winterbottom), there’s nothing I could have done there, he should have given me more room and I feel like he turned himself around. To consolidate and come sixth I think is a good result from where we started. We don’t have enough pace, you have to have enough speed to win the race, so if we can improve that tomorrow morning then we will be ok.” | | |
2:24pm – We told you there would be more bro hugs!

1:12pm – She’s got a name! JDub has announced that car 88 will be called “Dassi” #becausesheissassy
12:42pm – Nothing like kicking off the season with a POLE! SVG nails it and brings home P1 ahead of this afternoon’s race, JW is in P7.
10:12am – Final practice session = huge success. JW clocking in P1, with SVG in P2. Bring on the Shootout.
9:02am – Who is up for some more bromance today? #weare

6:30am – Track-a-lacking. Let’s get into the Shootout.

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Friday 3rd March
RACE WRAP:
Shane van Gisbergen – Car #97 Practice 1 – Second (Fastest Lap: 1:20.5254) Practice 2 – Third (Fastest Lap: 1:19.9370) Qualifying Race 1 – First (Fastest Lap: 1:19.7806)Jamie Whincup – Car #88 Practice 1 – First (Fastest Lap: 1:20.4006) Practice 2 – Fourth (Fastest Lap: 1:20.0363) Qualifying Race 1 – Seventh (Fastest Lap: 1:19.8969) | | |
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Shane van Gisbergen – Car #97 “It is awesome to get back into the car and have some awesome results early on. We did struggle a little this morning, but we found some more pace in the car. Our test day last week was not as successful as we would have liked, so it’s a huge confidence booster to see the car perform well. I am looking forward to getting into the Top Ten Shootout tomorrow as it’s make or break when it gets down to one lap, so we just have to keep pushing forward and not make any mistakes early on.” Jamie Whincup – Car #88 “It’s great to be back in the car again, I always enjoy driving around these streets. We just weren’t quick enough today, but we could have been a lot worse. I am very happy to be in the top 10, we will be working hard tonight, we aren’t there just yet. We need to really grab the Shootout opportunity with both hands and give it our best shot.” | | 1:52pm – The traditional two race format of the Clipsal 500 – 2 x 250km races – returns this year for the first time since 2013. There will be two Top 10 Shootouts at the Clipsal 500 for the first time in its history. One to decide Saturday grid, the other to decide Sunday. |
12:49pm – Shane van Gisbergen’s trademark #97 has turned purple for practice at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide. The number is being run in the alternate colour as a trial by Supercars as it investigates ways that it can easily identify the current championship leader to fans.
12:01pm – Another practice down as the track reaches maximum temp. Both drivers wrapping up their second session in the top 5.
9:50am – Awesome start to the 2017 season with a one-two in the first practice session of the year.

9:40am – First thing’s first – practice! Notice anything different about car 97?

8:30am – We are on track today! It’s been a LONGGGGG time coming but we are finally ready to hit the streets of Adelaide.
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Wednesday 1st March
2:30pm – School is in session.

11:12am – FAST FACT – Jamie Whincup has finished 109 races in a row, currently an unbroken record run dating back to Gold Coast 2013.
9:12am – Light her up boys! How cool are our brand tool box decals? We’ve got one per driver.

8:45am – Morning Clipsal, we’ve missed you.

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Tuesday 28th February
4:56pm – Catch your drivers over Clipsal in Radalaide!
Date: Wednesday 1st March
Time: 11:10 – 12.00pm
Location: Southgate Holden
Date: Thursday 2nd March
Time: 11:40 – 12:00pm
Location: RBHRT merchandise shop, on track
Note: Signing card required*
Date: Saturday 4th March
Time: 8:20 – 8.40am
Location: RBHRT merchandise shop, on track
Note: Signing card required*
Date: Sunday 5th March
Time: 9:00 – 9.30am
Location: Traction Zone
2:30pm – With our mates at Iveco having a few laughs. Always great to come for a visit.

9:23am – HOT DEAL – Nothing like a Hot Deal to kick oFf a Tuesday – grab yours before Clipsal.

8:12am – FAST FACTS – Shane van Gisbergen is on a current streak of consecutive top-three finishes – he was on the podium in the last 10 races in a row in 2016. The record of most top 3 race finishes in a row is held by Craig Lowndes, 15 between Oran Park 1998 and Hidden Valley 1999.
4:30am – That’s right, we are so keen to get to Clipsal we keeping going a day earlier every year. We are bound for Adelaide today for a whole heap of sponsor and media related fun for the drivers before they get stuck into that thing they do.