Wrap: McLaughlin still leads the championship by two points so there is literally nothing in it as we head to tomorrow. There is still the issue of what happens with the race control investigation.
1-Van Gisbergen, 2-McLaughlin, 3-Mostert, 4-Reynolds, 5-Whincup.
Final Lap: SVG leads by 5.2 seconds halfway through the lap. He holds on just and almost has an off at the final corner but just holds on and wins by 5.5 seconds. What a race but there is still more to come post race with the investigation into SVG's pit stop where his wheels were spinning.
Lap 68/70: Post race investigation into SVG's pitlane incident - his lead is now 4.6 seconds - he has enough time to stretch this.
Lap 67/70: Five second penalty for SVG but not for his pitlane infringement - it was for his bump and run with McLaughlin to take the lead. He leads by 3.7 seconds with two laps to go.
Lap 64/70: 1-Van Gisbergen, 2-McLaughlin, 3-Mostert, 4-Reynolds, 5-Whincup, 6-Pye, 7-Waters, 8-Pervat, 9-Courtney, 10-Caruso.
Lap 62/70: One second lead for SVG now. Maybe Race Control have forgotten about sending out a ruling re SVG's pitlane incident.
Lap 61/70: SVG takes the lead - He hit McLaughlin at the entry to the hairpin - side by side they go around the final corner and SVG comes out on top of that little tussle.
Lap 60/70: McLaughlin really struggling for grip as SVG is right on his bumper. It's a matter of time.
Lap 58/70: There is clearly some serious debate going on in race control over SVG's apparent pitlane infringement. No decsion yet. SVG just a second behind now.
Lap 55/70: Lead the front now less than two seconds but still this potential penalty hanging over SVG's head.
Lap 53/70: Still no word from race control. Van Gisbergen is eating up McLaughlin's lead - down to 2.5 seconds.
Lap 52/70: McLaughlin, SVG, Mostert, Reynolds and Pye - No word yet on a potential penalty for SVG.
Lap 48/70: Trouble for SVG - spinning wheels at his pit stop and he is likely to cop a drive-thru penalty. Game changer!
Lap 47/70: SVG pits and rejoins in second - Mostert was right there but couldn't get the pass - Van Gisbergen defended well. McLaughlin has a four second lead up front - This could work out for car No.97 as he will have better tyres as the race winbds down.
Lap 45/70: Can't work out this strategy from SVG. At this rate he could drop to as low a seventh.
Lap 43/70: SVG leads McLaughlin, Mostert, Reynolds, Pye and Stanaway.
Lap 41/70: Courtney is back in 10th now after his stop - Gis could be making a huge mistake staying out here.
Lap 39/70: SVG and Courtney continue to stay out - Scotty Mac setting fastest lap after fastest lap. Doesn't want to blow out his tyres though.
Lap 37: Mostert pits and rejoins two seconds behind McLaughlin so big net gain for the Kiwi there but we will have to wait on SVG and Courtney to pit to see how this works out.
Lap 35: SVG finally outbreaks Courtney at the hairpin for the race lead. McLaughlin just set the fastest lap of the race.
Lap 33/70: Car No.17 looking for the undercut over the two at the front - he is in clear air now and with SVG and Courtney dicing you would expect this could well work for McLaughlin.
Lap 32/70: McLaughlin pits from third - Courtney and SVG in a great battle at the front.
Lap 30/70: Courtney holding on to the lead. SVG better under breaks but the front line speed of the Walkinshaw-Andretti United Holden is impressive. Just doing enough to hold off the two Kiwis.
Lap 28/70: SVG reporting a break pedal issue but it's not slowing him down. Four-way battle up front with Reynolds, Winterbottom and Waters less than a second behind Mostert in fourth.
Lap 25/70: SVG all over the back of Courtney - McLaughlin and Mostert less than a second behinf the leader.
Lap 23/70: Courtney's tyres fading as SVG and McLaughlin look to pounce. Mostert is right there in fourth with Reynolds on his bumper.
Lap 22/70: Courtney leads by half a second with McLaughlin and Van Gisbergen nose-to-tail in second and third. SVG looks racey and as I say that he passes his fellow Kiwi at the hairpin for the lead.
Lap 20/70: Stanaway copped a drive-thru for the earlier incident as well - a bit harsh if you ask me.
Lap 18/70: Kiwis update: 2-McLaughlin, 3-Van Gisbergen, 13-Heimgartner, 23-Stanaway, Coulthard DNF.
Lap 17/70: McLaughlin just edging the gap back to SVG in thrird. Courtney has bolted up front - almost a second lead. Stanaway's actions that lead to Coulthard's crash will be investigated post race.
Lap 15/70: Back underway - Courtney gets the jump on McLaughlin and leads the Kiwi with SVG in third right on McLaughlin's tail.
Lap 12/70: Still under caution. Coulthard is doing fine despite the big shunt.
Lap 10/70: Top 10 after the stops: Courtney, McLaughlin, Van Gisbergen, Mostert, Reynolds, Winterbottom, Waters, Kelly, Pye and Caruso.
Lap 8/70: Stanaway made contact with Holdsworth who inturn hit Coulthard causing the crash. Shame for Fabian as he had started well and was up to 12th.
Lap 7/70: Yellow flag - Coulthard with a big crash in the same spot as his awful incident last year. Lee Holdsworth up the inside of the second last corner, takes Coulthard out and there is a heap of damage on car No.12. Everyone is in the pits. Courtney has inherited the race lead after his early stop - Winterbottom had a bit of an off so he has slipped back.
Lap 6/70: Rain drops falling now so thgings could get interesting. McLaughlin leads from SVG, Reynolds, Mostert, Whincup and Percat.
Lap 4/70: Craig Lowndes had an off on the first lap so he has a lot of distance to make up. Fabian Coulthard has made a good start - up to P15 from 19th.
Lap 2/70: McLaughlin building a nice lead over SVG - Early pitstops for Winterbottom and Courtney.
Race Start: Great start from McLaughlin as he leads into teh first series of corners - Van Gisbergen hlds off Reynolds for second.
4.10pm: Cars about to head out on their warm-up lap. This is gonna be epic with the two championship rivals at the head of the field.
4.05pm: Huge crowd here today - this really is a must-visit event.
4.01pm: Pretty cold out threre but not for long with the Supercars set tp roar.
3.35pm: Race start is 4.10pm - I'm off to do a grid walk - will try and take some cool photos.
3.20pm: Holden flyer David Reynolds will start this afternoon from third but it could have been so much better for the 2017 Bathurst champ.
3pm: Scott McLaughlin gets the nod of approval from his nana.
2.30pm: Scott McLaughlin 'stoked' after the session - says it's only fitting to have 'SVG' beside him on the grid. Van Gisbergen echoed those remarks saying he can't wait for the race and promises the fans an epic Kiwi battle.
Qualifying wrap: Van Gisbergen snuck up on us at the end there with the second quickest time slightly greasy conditions. McLaughlin set a great time on a clear track after an off on his first lap and to have the two Kiwis at the head of the pack for this afternoon is awesome.
2.05pm: Top Ten: McLaughlin, Van Gisbergen, Reynolds, Mostert, Whincup, Percat, Slade, Waters, Kelly, De Pasquale.
Stanaway 12th, Heimgartner 11th and Coulthard 19th.
2.01pm: Fabian Coulthard down in 17th and unlikely to improve given the slightly moist conditions and indeed it looks like that's us as Percat is in the wall.
1.56pm: A bit of rain falling now so we might not see too many changes as Reynolds just goes second quickest.
1.54pm: Cars back out on track.
1.52pm: De Silvestro is in the fence so we have a red flag so she is done for the session. 10 minutes to go when we resume.
1.McLaughlin, 2.Mostert, 3.Van Gisbergen, 4. Waters, 5. Whincup.
1.48pm: McLaughlin goes quickest - great lap.
1.46pm: McLaughlin back out there about to start his lap - Standings: Van Gisbergen, Reynolds, De Pasquale, Mostert and Percat.
1.45pm: McLaughlin off at corner six - he's in the pits down in 17th as Van Gisbergen goes fastest followed by Reynolds and De Pasquale.
1.44pm: Mostert the early pace setter folowed by Waters and De Pasquale.
1.41pm: Cars are out on track for the 20 minute session. This will be all action.
1.35pm: Okay so just five minutes away now. Drivers will be greated by overcast conditions but the track should be rubbered in well now given the last three support races have been run on a dry track.
1.20pm: 20 minutes away from qualifying for today's race – it was an interesting practice session this morning fought out in half wet/half dry conditions.
Ford's Chaz Mostert was quickest followed by Michael Caruso and Lee Holdsworth.
Andre Heimgartner was the quickest of the Kiwis, sixth fastest, while Richie Stanaway was seventh, Shane van Gisbergen eighth, Fabian Coulthard 11th and Scott McLaughlin 15.
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Welcome to live coverage of the ITM Auckland SuperSprint from Pukekohe Raceway.
Shane Van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin will go head-to-head in front of a jam packed home crowd here at the spiritual home of New Zealand motorsport.
Van Gisbergen trails his fellow Kiwi by only 14 points in the championship battle and with rain in the air he will have a smile on his face.
McLaughlin’s team worked hard yesterday to repair the No.17 Falcon after he hit the wall in practice but his car showed no ill effects during this morning’s session.
Qualifying is at 1.40pm followed by Race one at 4.40pm.
Newshub.
