Supercars champ SVG wins last Sydney race

Shane van Gisbergen has rubber stamped his Supercars championship with victory in the final race of the season and on the streets of Sydney.

The Holden gun had the title wrapped up on Saturday but fought hard for a win in the 74-lap finale around Olympic Park on Sunday evening – celebrated with a tyre-shredding burnout on the start line.

He managed to stave off Garth Tander, who started on pole position and was looking for a fairytale end to his time at Holden Racing Team and the outfit’s last with factory backing.

Holden announced earlier this year it will support only one team from 2017, Red Bull Racing, and Tander is yet to confirm his future.

David Reynolds held off a persistent Jamie Whincup for third – his first podium of the year for Commodore-powered Erebus Motorsport.

Tander led for the first 20 laps before being passed by van Gisbergen but kept the pressure on the 2016 champion.

The Kiwi survived three safety car interventions to seal the win and confirm his place on top of the drivers’ standings, ahead of teammate Whincup.

Scott McLaughlin’s fifth-place finish for Volvo earns him third in the championship, denying Red Bull a historic trifecta with veteran Craig Lowndes slipping down to fourth on the back of his 11th-placing.

Van Gisbergen finishes the year with eight race wins and seven poles.

Sydney’s concrete-lined circuit has claimed plenty of victims over the years and again caused some carnage.

Nissan’s Dale Wood and Holden driver Tim Blanchard were early casualties, followed later by the Fords of Fabian Coulthard and Cam Waters, and Jason Bright in his last outing for Brad Jones Racing.

Newcastle will host the season finale from 2017, with the coastline track to be revealed this week.

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