Afrigather The Kiwi went into the opening 250-kilometre race of the Gold Coast 500 weekend needing solely to complete twenty fourth or higher to be topped champion.
However he did way more than that, van Gisbergen charging to a snug 16s victory as he sealed the title.
It was a becoming final result amid a dominant season for the Triple Eight driver, this a record-extending twentieth win of the marketing campaign.
“We needed to beat one automotive to safe [the title], however we killed everybody,” stated van Gisbergen.
“What a 12 months. It has been numerous enjoyable. I wish to come out tomorrow and do the identical job, so I will preserve focus. But it surely’s definitely fairly particular.
“I am stoked. It is onerous to place it into phrases but.”
David Reynolds transformed pole into an early lead, though initially it was something however snug as second-placed van Gisbergen tried to discover a well beyond.
The Kiwi’s cost was slowed on the finish of the second lap, nonetheless, when he climbed over the tyre bundle on the within of the final nook.
The slight delay was sufficient to provide Reynolds some respiratory house because the hole shifted out to simply over a second.
Within the laps that adopted van Gisbergen steadily closed again onto the bumper of the Reynolds Mustang, earlier than making one other play for the lead on the hairpin on Lap 15.
Reynolds was capable of stave off the problem first time round, however was powerless to cease van Gisbergen from getting previous on the hairpin the next lap.
As soon as in entrance van Gisbergen pulled simply over a second clear, the hole then steadying till Reynolds made his first cease on Lap 24.
Van Gisbergen adopted go well with a lap later, coming out simply forward of Reynolds earlier than resisting a quick problem as his tyres got here as much as temperature.
From there van Gisbergen was once more capable of steadily draw back, the hole hovering at round a second and a half.
On Lap 40 Reynolds complained a few free steering wheel, at which level the hole began to blow out.
By the halfway level of the 85-lapper it was over three seconds, earlier than ballooning to greater than seven seconds when Reynolds made his second cease on Lap 52.
Throughout that cease the Grove Racing crew was capable of tighten the bolts on Reynolds’ steering wheel throughout the gasoline fill earlier than sending him on his manner.
Van Gisbergen took his second service on Lap 55, resuming with a really snug 11-second lead over Reynolds.
From there it was a case of cruising to the end, van Gisbergen stretching his benefit over Reynolds to over 16s as he crossed the road to say the title.
Chaz Mostert completed third, a place he handed Cam Waters for on Lap 48. The Walkinshaw Andretti United driver did handle to shut in on Reynolds within the second stint, nonetheless ended the race along with his personal mirrors filled with Will Davison.
In the long run Davison could not discover a well beyond and needed to accept fourth, whereas Waters completed fifth after surviving a wild spin on the first chicane.
The Tickford Racing driver smacked the wall on the exit of the chicane, his Mustang then tipped right into a spin.
He in some way managed to keep away from hitting the wall once more and proceed with out important injury.
“There was a good bit taking place,” stated Waters after the race. “I feel I misplaced the rear on the first one and I could not reserve it. I hit the tyres and it flicked me round.
“I gassed it up and drove by the smoke and got here out the opposite facet. The automotive has been by a conflict, that is for positive.”
Anton De Pasquale completed sixth forward of Brodie Kostecki, James Courtney, Mark Winterbottom and Nick Percat.
The Gold Coast 500 continues tomorrow with qualifying (9:55am), a High 10 Shootout (11:35am) and a second race (2:15pm).
Gold Coast 500 Race 1 outcomes
