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Supercars star Jamie Whincup has claimed the opening race of the Gold Coast 600. The seven-time series champion held out fellow Holden driver Shane van Gisbergen on Saturday by 0.52 of a second, while runaway championship leader Scott McLaughlin was third in the 102-lap event. Whincup claimed his ninth career win on the Gold Coast, teaming up with co-driver Craig Lowndes to mark their first victory together since 2008. It marked only the second win of the 2019 season and first since Ipswich in July for Whincup, moving him from fifth to third in the drivers' standings. Van Gisbergen - who combined with Garth Tander - chipped away at Ford star McLaughlin's championship lead, reducing it to 613 points. McLaughlin held a 622-point buffer over nearest rival van Gisbergen when he lobbed at the tourist strip. McLaughlin even had a chance of claiming the 2019 series title on Saturday if he crossed in the top three and van Gisbergen failed to finish. The victory was set up when Lowndes was able to get the jump on pole sitter McLaughlin's teammate Alex Premat at the start. Whincup maintained the lead when drivers changed over after 34 laps. Van Gisbergen did not take his team's second compulsory pit stop until late, grabbing the lead. When he returned to the field, he was third, more than eight seconds behind pace setter Whincup. But a fast-finishing van Gisbergen reeled in McLaughlin to take second spot with 14 laps left before the first safety car emerged after Garry Jacobson's Nissan lost its exhaust and was struck by the field on turn four, ensuring a tense end. There was drama even before the opener after provisional pole sitter Chaz Mostert crashed out in the top-10 shootout, ruling him out of the entire weekend's action. While his Ford outfit were initially hopeful of repairing the Mustang after Mostert crashed into the wall at turn 11, under closer inspection, they determined it was a write off. It was a tough blow for third-placed Mostert who was a mathematical title chance and considered a Gold Coast podium threat after winning the past two Saturday races on the Gold Coast. Mostert emerged unscathed after being cleared at the track's medical centre. Gold Coast's second 300km race will be held on Sunday.
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