Volvo Polestar Racing drivers Scott McLaughlin and Robert Dahlgren are all set for the 2014 V8 Supercars season finale at the Sydney 500 this weekend, with McLaughlin aiming for more victories – and most number of poles in a season.
“It will be all guns blazing to win races and also to win the pole position award of the year,” said McLaughlin.
The Kiwi is just one pole behind newly crowned champion Jamie Whincup, who has 10 P1s to his name, with three left to fight for this weekend.
Another fight for McLaughlin in Sydney is fifth position in the drivers’ championship, where four drivers are separated by just 30 points. McLaughlin climbed from eighth to fifth after Phillip Island, where he claimed Volvo Polestar Racing’s best-ever V8 Supercars result with two victories.
“The car is good on street circuits like Sydney,” he said. “It is fast over qualifying runs and is starting to get a lot better in the races as well. We have had an awesome year and I really want to finish in the top five and on a high with the team – and build for a good result in next year’s championship.”
Robert Dahlgren will complete his last V8 Supercars race at the Sydney 500 before heading to Sweden ahead of 2015 for new assignments with Volvo Polestar Racing.
“I am going to thoroughly enjoy my last round of the championship before I head back to Sweden. I have done the preparations ahead of the race and I feel ready, we will see what the weekend brings,” said Dahlgren.
The final race of the 2014 V8 Supercars season starts this Friday with three practice sessions, followed by qualifying and two races on Saturday. Sunday finishes the season off with a final qualifying session and a Top 10 Shootout session, ahead of the 35th and final race of the year.
Sydney 500 – V8 Supercars
Circuit: Homebush Street Circuit
Length: 3.5km
Lap record (V8SC): 1:28.3839, Craig Lowndes, 2011
Friday 5 December
09:30 Practice 1 (20min)
11:45 Practice 2 (20min)
14:20 Practice 3 (20min)
Saturday 6 December
09:00 Practice 4 (20min)
11:15 Qualifying for Race 36 (10min)
11:35 Qualifying for Race 37 (10min)
14:30 Race 36 (37 laps)
16:50 Race 37 (37 laps)
Sunday 7 December
11:05 Qualifying for Race 38 (20min)
13:30 Top 10 Shootout (30min)
15:40 Race 35 (74 laps)
Championship positions – Top 10 (35/38 races)
1 Jamie Whincup Holden Commodore 3094 points
2 Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon 2642 (-452)
3 Craig Lowndes Holden Commodore 2547 (-547)
4 Shane Van Gisbergen Holden Commodore 2508 (-586)
5 Scott McLaughlin Volvo S60 2295 (-799)
6 Fabian Coulthard Holden Commodore 2280 (-814)
7 Chaz Mostert Ford Falcon 2273 (-821)
8 James Courtney Holden Commodore 2265 (-829)
9 Garth Tander Holden Commodore 2064 (-1030)
10 Michael Caruso Nissan Altima 1875 (-1219)
…
25 Robert Dahlgren Volvo S60 859 (-2235)
Alan Zurvas is the founder and editor of Gay Car Boys, Australia's leading LGBTQI+ automotive publication. Before launching GCB in 2008, Alan's automotive writing was published in SameSame.com.au and the Star Observer. With over 16 years of hands-on car reviewing experience, Alan brings an honest, irreverent voice to every review — championing value and innovation over brand loyalty.
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