Garth Tander and Shane van Gisbergen have built a solid lead in the Bathurst 1000 as the race passes its midway point. Despite a five second penalty for an unsafe release earlier in the event, a timely safety car intervention benefitting the team on Lap 57.
The gap to David Russel and Brodie Kostecki now sits at over 10 seconds, Jamie Whincup in third a further 12 seconds back.
Following the early chaos, the field finally settled into a rhythm off the third safety car restart.
The field pitting under the caution, caused by a stricken Jake Kostecki, brought about several driver changes, leader Lee Holdsworth handing over to Kiwi Matt Payne. James Moffat also handed over to Cam Waters from second.
Not changing drivers was of benefit to Shell V-Power,Tony D’Alberto (Anton de Pasquale) inheriting the race lead despite minor involvement in both major incidents previously.
Garth Tander (Shane van Gisbergen) received a five second penalty to be served at the next stop for an unsafe release.
Waters took second off Payne following the restart, picking off D’Alberto for the lead on Lap 29.
Yet another safety car intervention was required for a Lap 31 incident involving Alex Davison (Will Davison), the V-Power Mustang another victim of The Chase.
Running long saw him slide through the muddy out-field, side-on contact with the tyre wall the result. In the attempt to rejoin, Davison painfully inched through the mud, falling just inches short of the track.
He required a tow from the mud, returning to the pack at the rear, mud covering the special Shell V-Power livery.
More stops were made under the caution, Tander handing over to van Gisbergen for Red Bull.
Lap 34 was brought about the fourth race-restart, Declan Fraser (Craig Lowndes) ahead of Richie Stanaway after both cars did not stop.
Waters, who did stop, ran third ahead of Brodie Kostecki, Chaz Mostert and van Gisbergen respectively. Payne was running seventh at this point.
The Tickford Mustang of Waters appears to have strong race pace, regaining the lead on Lap 35.
Van Gisbergen managed a pass on Mostert on Conrod Straight, following and bump-drafting Kostecki past at high speed.
He managed to pick off Kostecki and Stanaway shortly after to sit third by Lap 40. Fraser pitting one lap later improved the Kiwi to second to go about hunting down Waters 3.5 seconds up the road.
Nick Percat helped Tim Blachard (Tim Slade) into the wall at Forrest’s Elbow on Lap 42, bringing about the fifth caution, the Cool Drive Mustang buried in the tyres. The crash was deemed a racing incident.
Waters handed over to Moffat from the lead, van Gisbergen remaining out to inherit top spot.
Only one lap after the Lap 45 restart, Moffat was turned by Brodie Kostecki at The Cutting. He managed to keep the Mustang out of the wall to return in 21st.
Broc Feeney was the next to test the out-field of The Chase on Lap 48, managing to join safely without incident.
The rhythm returned from here for the next several laps, van Gisbergen pitting and handing over to Tander after serving their five second penalty on Lap 57. Tander emerged from the lane in 16th.
Fortune favoured the Red Bull Commodore with a timely safety car intervention just one lap later. Macauley Jones running into the mud at pit entry and requiring a tow out was the cause of the sixth intervention.
The field all came into stop, Tander taking the lead for the Lap 60 restart. David Russel (Brodie Kostecki) moved up to second following the stops.
One lap after the resumption, Greg Murphy was spun by Jake Kostecki at Griffins Bend. Murphy kept the wildcard entry out of the wall, Kostecki copping a 15 second penalty for causing the incident.
Tander built on the lead over the next dozen laps before stopping on Lap 80. Nick Percat had run into the wall coming down the mountain and become stuck in the tyres at Forrest’s Elbow. He was able to reverse out, steering arm damage the result.
As the field came in to stop in the laps following, Tander has continued to build on his lead, which now sits at 10 seconds over Russell with 74 laps remaining.
Jamie Whincup (Broc Feeney) sits in third, 22 seconds back from Tander.
Fabian Coulthard (Mostert) is the second highest Kiwi, the duo running fifth, one place ahead of Matt Payne and Lee Holdsworth.
Jaxon Evans and Jack Smith are a solid 13th, Chris Pither and Cameron Hill running a clean race behind in 16th.
Greg Murphy and Richie Stanaway sit 18th at the halfway point.
With 80 laps still remaining, strategy still plays a major role in the event, fuel, tyres, pit stops and driver swaps all set to contribute to proceedings over the final hours.
