Scott McLaughlin finally takes first championship win with Ford

Scott McLaughlin finally captures his first championship victory with DJR Team Penske’s #17 Ford FG X Falcon today in the seventh race of the 2017 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship at Barbagallo Raceway. For McLaughlin, it was his ninth V8 Supercars win in a career and the first with Ford, after he spent four seasons with Holden and Volvo.

His teammate Fabian Coulthard earned a pole position for the opening race of the Perth SuperSprint but McLaughlin took the lead in the opening lap and stays in front until the end of the 50-lap race.

Two Red Bull Holdens of Jamie Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen were fighting for the third podium spot. Whincup started from P3, lost a position in the opening lap and then fought back in lap 12. Until the end of the race, he built up 5-second advantage over his teammate. Mark Winterbottom completed the top 5 in the #5 Prodrive’s Ford.

Check the full results of the Perth SuperSprint

The second race of the Perth SuperSprint and the eighth race of the season is scheduled for tomorrow. Fabian Coulthard is in the championship lead after seven races with 568 points, seven more than Shane van Gisbergen. Chaz Mostert has 531 points, Whincup collects 522 and today’s winner McLaughlin is fifth with 471 points.

Photos: supercars.com,